5 Yr Old- Diff Breathing ( Always Stuffy) Doc Says ADNOIDS..surgery/options Help

Hi C., First of all, I would take her to another Dr. or two. I have real bad allergies, and I was like this when I was little too. I still have my Adnoids too. Good luck. Mart H.

My daughter was 2 1/2 when she had tubes placed in her ears and the Dr. removed her adnoids also since they were swelling and causing fluid to get trapped in there. I was terrified but knowing that my daughter would feel better afterwards gave me the strength to know it was the right decision. She has had NO problems what so ever since and she's almost 9 ;-) I hope this helps

Both of my children were always sick with a soar throat or a runny nose, I took them both at the same time and had their tonsuls removed. At that time they were 5 and 7. I took them to Miami Childrens Hospital. After that they were hardly ever sick. It is best to do it at a young age and they will be happy to eat ice cream. It really worked. Dont be afraid.

A close friend of mine just had her 3 year old's adnoides removed. He was stuffy all the time, had trouble breathing at night, breathed through his mouth most of the time and always had "boogers" in his nose. She was very apprehensive but now that the surgery is over she says it was the best thing they could have ever done! Her son's whole attitude has changed because he is sleeping much better at night and can breathe easily throughout the day. I think surgery on a child is a huge decision but weigh the pros and cons. If the stuffiness is not interfering with your child's quality of life than maybe let it go for now but if she is miserable all the time then this surgery most likely will change her life for the better.

Good Luck!

Hi, my son was sick constantly because of this. He would get a stuffy nose and the adenoids would swell up and the trapped mucus would get infected. He had strep 9 times in one year and I waited as I too do not like the idea of surgery. When he was 6 and I did the surgery and he has been healthy ever since-no more stuffed, runny noses and he sleeps so much better. The surgeon said his adenoids had completely grew over. They took his tonsils as well. He had a hard time with nausea right after the surgery and they kept him overnight because of this. He was sore for a awhile and did not want to eat but would drink and eat ice pops just fine. I am glad I had the surgery!! The ent also put tubes in my sons ears because he had diminished hearing which has also helped him academically-the funny thing is he never had an ear infection in his life. Good luck and I just wanted you to know that my son had the surgery and it produced great results. S.

I have lived what you are describing!

My son was born "stuffY' adn has always sounded stuffy! When we was 8 months old I had a doctor who wanted to remove his adenoids. Of course I thought that was out of the question and didn't allow it to happen. The next two and a half years were full of sinus infections, and tons of Nasonex as you described! It was terrible! Finally, I took him to a second ENT (C. Cotter, Childrens Ent Docs) in Metrowest, and she ordered an X-ray of the adenoids. they don't have to scope him to see the adenoids! Well...by age three they were still large and we went ahead with the surgery.

He woke up from surgery and was a different kid! I wish I would have done it sooner, and I am a total hospital phobic. We still use Nasonext for seasonal allergies, but I am telling you what a huge difference. You can ask the doc to order an X-ray and SHOW you the enlarged adenoids on the film, that will help put your mind at ease!

PS. Does your child snore? Mine snored horribly, and after adenoids were removed, it all but went away!

Good luck!

J.

I am sorry to hear about your daughter's condition, I can only imagine how hard it must be to hear her struggle to breath and feel stuffy all of the time. I know what it is like when I feel stuffy. Personally, my general MO is to try everything possible that couls naturally help my child with a condition before I turn to conventional medicine. Whether it is supplements, change in diet, whatever. There are so many resources out there when it comes to naturally healing conditions. That being said, I would do some research online and try some things out - make sure to give them some time to work - like removing dairy, wheat, sugar, etc; adding vitamins (high quality) and probiotics, etc. I would try pretty much anything before I would let my child be operated on. Then, if it doesn't work out, you have a back up plan.

I, too, think a second DR should be involved. Many times kids will out grow the problem, and the surgery is basically for nothing. My son is 6 and going through some simular issues. He is doing a sleep study in a couple of weeks. He is also on Nasonex, and it helps. Patenese works well too. You can take it more than once a day ...which is nice on the "bad" days. Good luck!

C.,

I would DEFINITELY check out the surgery option as MUCH as you are not a FAN as I was. I have a recommendation for an excellent surgeon if you email me at ____@____.com son was 2yrs old when he was told he had swollen adenoids. It was a blessing actually to find a pediatrician who diagnosed that versus having to be told all the time it was 'congestion'. The surgery saved my baby's life. His was so swollen that he could not breathe, he was gasping all the time, stop breathing in interims and then gasp again, I cried so many times thinking how he couldn't make it. I was just as scared as you are, but compared to the stress of watching him suffer at nights, this was better, and I am SOOOOOOO glad I did it. He is now active and it doesn't bother him again one bit. The earlier it gets done is probably better.

when my oldest now 24 was abour 7 he had tubes put in his ears and his adnoids taken out. cause his ears would not drain properly, and he was always getting ear infections.anyway he had no problems with the surgery and all went well.but the doctor did tell him me that his adnoids could grow back. just like tonsels they grow back sometimes. it may be rare but it does happen. so i do not know if that helps you are not.
on the other hand if you do not want him isck all the time you might wanna consider it.or go to another ENT and get a second opinion.

Sounds like your child may have some sort of allergies or sensitivities that contribute to that stuffiness... In my view conventional medical approaches are not a genuine solution for that. Some holistic approaches would help resolve that without drugs or surgery - there are things to do with diet and nutrition as well as subtle energy therapies like acupressure and reiki that I believe would help. I'd be happy to offer you a free consultation and provide some subtle energy clearing to help open up the energy flow and clear her sinuses. My contact info is at www.phinsights.com

Hi, C.. I'm not a fan of surgery, either, especially surgery that involves removing lymph tissue, which is what adenoids are. They are positioned in the body at a spot where they fight off airborne infections and allergens.

If the nasonex works, why bother removing the adenoids? As long as long-term use of nasonex is not harmful to a growing child, I, personally, would not take on the risks of surgery.

Now allergies can be fought in a variety of ways. One of the best things you can do is to find out just what the child is allergic to. If the symptoms are all year round, and don't seem to be triggered by a specific plant, then maybe something inside the house or at school is causing the allergic reaction. Dust, dust mites, dogs or cats, carpeting, and so forth, are all candidates for this kind of constant irritation of the child's sinuses and respiratory system. If there is a food that the child eats every day that she's allergic to, this can keep her congested. Sometimes it can be air fresheners -- I'm allergic to some of them, and will sneeze continually for hours when I'm exposed to them.

Try taking her to an allergist and seeing if the allergy can be pinpointed. And you might get a second opinion from another ENT -- one who will actually examine the inflamed tissues of the child he is supposed to be treating! OMG, it sounds like he didn't even look at the poor dear child.

In any event, I would find out if there is a specific cause or a couple of causes for the constant symptoms before letting anyone do surgery. Even if the adenoids are removed, that doesn't mean she won't still react to the allergens in a different way, in a different organ system. If the adenoids aren't there to halt the entrance of the allergen, then something else will have to cope with it -- like the lungs and bronchial tubes! That could lead to asthma and/or chronic bronchhitis. And then she'll have to take something much worse to cope with those symptoms, like cortisone.

Yikes. I recommend taking her to an allergist.

In the meantime, make sure she drinks plenty of water in order to thin down the mucus and dilute whatever is triggering her allergic reactions. Water will also help flush out whatever toxins are invading her, too.

I hope her allergy problems are fully resolved very soon, and you both are healthy and happy with the results.

Peace,
Syl

I grew up with a stuffy nose and sore throat. Finally in my 20's I had the tonsilectomy and adnoidectomy. What a difference it made! Sorry my parents didn't take care of my misery sooner. The younger the better...recovery is much quicker. But get another medical opinion. Adnoidectomy only doesn't make sense. It's the tonsils too, that cause such irritation. Also, check the house for feather pillows, wool items, cats, birds, anything allergenic...these only irritate the situation.
I know what it's like to watch your child go into the OR...very nerve wracking; but they do bounce back quickly.
Blessings to you and your family, S.

Yes, it is very helpful to have them removed. You will notice almost immediate results after surgery. No more snoring either. Good luck.

C., I agree with Elizabeth in that you should get a second opinion, ESPECIALLY when surgery is suggested. And, I also agree with Jed that there are herbal remedies available. I'm not a believer and do not trust any drugs on the market, including the over-the-counter remedies.

My daughter (now 22) was always sick with ear infections. I was writing a check to the doctor as much as I was writing checks to the daycare. She was a good eater, veggies and all, but it wasn't enough. I wish I would have known about good vitamins when she was a baby.

In the research I have done, I've found that most childhood illnesses, allergies, asthma, etc., are due to environmental toxins as well as poor nutrition. Not that as moms we're not giving our family the right foods, but rather they can't eat as much as their bodies need while growing. See this web site for more info on vitamins that also contain lactoferrin which helps to keep kids' immune systems at optimal levels. http://www.shaklee.net/natural_solutions/product/Children...

I'm very passionate about this company and trust their products. They've helped me with my health concerns, and I've given them to my kids. Today they are healthy, intelligent young ladies and have missed very little school due to colds or flu. Please do your research before going through with surgery.

That's my two cents worth.

Hi C.:

My daughter also had similar problems. She was always stuffy, dark circles under her eyes and would snor a lot!! Poor thing was just not breathing right at all. It was due to her adnoids being enlarged. Besides that she also had a lot of ear infections and throat infections. The ear infections were leading to hearing loss. So I took her to a specialist in Miami Childrens and he recommened surgery. It is a little scary always but she really needed it. She had just turned 4 at the time of surgery. It has been a little over a year now and she is a totally different person. She had her adnoids and tonsils removed and tubes put in her ears. She doesn't snore at all any more. She is eating better and her hearing is a hundred times better. The worst part of the surgery was the tonsils being removed that is what hurt her the most but other than that she didn't feel a thing. Believe me it is probably for the best. Get a second opinion to feel more comfortable and go to a specialist. They will guide you in the right way. Don't worry about the surgery it is really quick and easy she won't feel a thing. Good luck!!

Good Morning!
Two months ago my 7 yr. old had hearing tubes put in & her adnoids removed at the same time! It has truly helped her breathing! The greater good is better then the slight evil (surgery now). My Cheyenne says she is happy now that she can breathe better especially at night; and of course she was sound asleep during the whole procedure! I used to have to check in on her during the night because I could her struggling for air; and since her surgery-I have been able to sleep soundly myself! This is soley your choice, but I and my girl appreciate the benefits way more then if we'd have waited! Good luck & May God bless you all...
Truly,
Kathy N.
PS: we had Dr. Rodriguiz from Oakland Park. He did a good job with her. But always very busy! I hope you ahve an excellent doctor!

First off I will say, get a second opinion! Anytime something as serious as this is concerning your child and you have time to get another doctor's opinion, do it! Now that I've got that off my chest :). My son had his adenoids took out when he was about 3. He had never had a problem w/ earaches until there recently and the ENT said it was due to fluid build-up in his ears. We also realized that was the cause of a slight speech problem he had at the time. Any surgery is major when it's on your child but having your tonsils out is far more serious than just the adenoids. My son's surgery went fine. He had to wear ear plugs when he went swimming or took baths for awhile but no more speech problems. Alot of times doctors may want to also take the tonsils along with the adenoids just in case. I do know that it's easier to have them out when you're a child than when you're an adult but if they're not problems with their tonsils the doctor may not deem neccessary to do so.

It looks like allergies. Visit www.naet.com
you will be surprised

My closest friend's son had the same issue, only got frequent ear infections as well. They removed his adnoids (at 4) and the problem with his sinuses was rectified immediately. We live in a world where we are lucky enough to have surgical options to help us. I'm not a fan of surgery either if it is not necessary, but lack of quality sleep and overall everyday discomfort seems reason enough to me for a simple outpatient procedure. Get at least one more opinion from a good qualified ENT and if they agree, I'd do it and watch how happy your daughter is after a few days of discomfort. Good luck.

I agree that you should get a second opinion, as surgery is nothing to rush into. I would like to say that you should remember that if not corrected, these things can continue to bother your daughter even into adulthood. Believe it or not, the risk factor increases with age, as done the level of pain involved. As a child I had recurring ear infections, and frequent upper respiratory infections as well as bouts of tonsillitis. My parents wanted to avoid surgery (mainly because of cost). While the tonsillitis and ear infections ceased, the upper respiratory infections continued, mainly bronchitis. However, by the time I was in my late teens, early twenties, the bouts of tonsillitis returned--always tested positive for strep. Nine out of ten times that I went to the doctor I had both strep and bronchitis simultaneously. I cannot tell you how many days of work I missed over a 10 year period, having strep as often as 7 times in a year. When I finally decided to have my tonsils removed, I had to miss 2 weeks of work. This is because with increased age comes a higher risk if bleeding. My ENT told me that most children wouldn't even miss 1 week of school--usually only a couple of days. This is because their ability to rebound from pain is greater and their bodies heal so much faster. Believe me, I WISH my parents had done this when I was a child, and I could eat ice cream and popsicles and watch TV, rather than as an adult with bills to pay and 5 children to care for!

And I would like to say that no matter what, it was the best thing I ever did. In the two years since I had my surgery, I have not been sick at all! Not one throat infection, not one case of bronchitis in two years!! This is a HUGE accomplishment for me after a lifetime of being sick.

Long story short, if the problem truly warrants surgery just remember that this will not only benefit her now, but save her the pain and agony of having it done as an adult. If they are causing her to have trouble breathing now, even when awake, there is a big chance that she will develop sleep apnea as an adult. My ENT said that a large majority of tonsillectomies and adnoidectomies in adults are due to sleep apnea.

Just something to think about.

Hello C.,

I am a parent(19 and 15 years old) and a professional counselor(Lifestyle management Coach). I felt compelled to assure you that you must make the decision as a parent. any others experiences will never be the same exact one as yours but I encourage you that any advice you take from someone elses experience and it backfires will hurt you more than if you just get with your significant other and choose. The only guideline you really need is research of the positives and negatives of the surgery and other possible remedies. At 5yrs I am sure she is tired of sufferring so decide something based on facts and benefits and as hard as it sounds not emotion(it will keep you guessing).She is depending on you guys to do choose what is going to bring relief to her.

Good Luck!

The ENT I took my son to said he has enlarged tonsils-- not swollen-- just an enlarged size in general. He said removing adnoids and/or tonsils is major surgery with a big recovery period. He said he only does it when necessary-- he said he only recommends it for 2 reasons (at least in my son's case), which was if he has sleep apnea (which he doesn't) or if he gets strep over and over (he's never had it). He said otherwise not to do the surgery. He did say that if one of those things happen and he does remove the tonsils that he recommends that while he's doing it that he also removes the adnoids. I honestly have no idea what the difference is between adnoids and tonsils-- but someone I know's son had surgery (I forget which one but I think adnoids) and now he has to go back a couple of years later to remove the other (the tonsils)-- the doc said he wishes he had removed both in one shot bb/c now this poor little boy has to go through the surgery all over again.

I would get a second opinion from another ENT-- preferably a pediatric one.

Not Dr. Knox is it.....he's surgery happy! Get a couple different opinions!!

My daughter had a 2nd set of tubes put in her ears and her adnoids removed at age 3 (due to constant ear infections). Anyway, it was a 45 min surgery. Yes I was scared of course. But after the surgery she was completely fine. She of course had ice pops and whatever but within a day she was eating normal food. She never complained after the first day of being sore. That was almost 4 years ago and she has hardly been sick since. Maybe a little cold here and there. No more ear infections.

Nasonex may help to reduce the irritationof her nasal tissues which are where the adenoids lay. Having this issue untreated may lead to sleep problems, weakened immune sytem and could lead to her being out of school regularly. I had my adenoids removed and tonsils and rarely get sick. The younger she is is better if she needs this surgery because the resillance of young children. It is scary from the parents point of view anytime your child has to have an invasive procedure but usually they turn out just fine and bounce back quickly. Good luck, try the nasonex then if it dosent relieve the problem look into surgery. Research and you may find that helpful in easing your concern.

HI,

Is your little one able to breathe through her nose? How often? Keeping a clear airway can really help. You are wise to not jump into surgery--there may be a simple way to help her get relief. where are you located?

You know I just had my son (who will be 3 in a couple weeks) go through tube surgery and what's called a partial adenoid coblation (where they shrank the adenoid down significantly. I cannot recall the last time he didn't have a runny nose or URI. Since the surgery, the only time his nose runs is when he cries. His breath smelled REALLY bad for about a week and a half but now he is perfect. Not even on any allergy meds anymore. Its hard to put them through the surgery but like i said, not one infection or stuffy nose day since. Nothing else had worked for him before.

Hi, My daughter is 7 and we just went to the ENT this week and were also told that if her adnoid were removed she would feel a lot better. She has had a few ear in infections in the same ear with a feeling of both ears being clogged for quite a while. She also has a headache, nasal stuffiness and has been breathing through her mouth while sleeping for a long time. I was told it was seasonal allergies last year and was given Nasonex and claritin which does help but now ear infections....Anyway, our ENT looked in her nose with a scope and showed me that she clearly had very enlarged adnoids and the airway was so small. He said this should really help and did not reccommend taking out the tonsils or putting in tubes. It did require a little spray of anesthesia but only took a few minutes. I wonder why your Dr did not do that? I am going to schedule for it next week and see if I can help her feel better! Good Luck ! Carrie

Hey C.,

My son fits right into the same category as yours. He was stuffy year round and was more prone to sinus infections (since 3 years). The ENT suggested removing the adenoids. I had never heard of just removing the adenoids without tonsils but he assured me it was very common. We sought the opinion of another ENT and he scoped my son - a very simple procedure where they run a very flexible tube with camera on the end into the nose to view the adenoids. He also looked at his tonsils. They were somewhat enlarged but not huge. We ended up having my son's adenoids AND tonsils removed in November (just prior to his 6th birthday - January) for fear of having to have the tonsils removed later, thus another surgery.

My son was on one type of allergy medicine or another from about 3 1/2. At 5 I took him off of all due to him having frequent nose bleeds and gave him a natural supplement that helps with allergies. It's so much better and totally does just the same as the RX minus the nose bleeds. He is still on the supplement despite having both adenoids and tonsils removed. However, he is not stuffy year round like he was. BTW, adenoids showed on scope to be horrible and enlarge quite a bit - really yuk to see on camera.

The adenoid part of the surgery didn't seem as big an issue as the tonsil part. I was told that would be the case in advance of surgery. Frankly, it's been a great help to my little man and I'm glad I gave the go ahead for the surgery . . . certainly more positive benefits than negative.

If you have more questions, please feel free to contact me privately.

K. Woodlief
www.LovinLifeHome.com

She might be allergic to dairy just enough to make her snotty but not to give her abdominal pains. My child gets snotty and stuffy from cheese, etc. Try eliminating it. also consider finding a good acupuncturist in your area.