Tonsillectomies and children

Alternative Names

Children and tonsillectomies

Information

Today, many parents wonder if it is wise for children to have the tonsils taken out. Tonsillectomy may be recommended if your child has any of the following:

Difficulty swallowing
Obstructed breathing during sleep
Throat infections or throat abscesses that keep returning

In most cases, inflammation of the tonsils can be successfully treated with antibiotics. There are always risks associated with surgery. However, if your child has restless sleep, poor growth, mouth-breathing with recurring swollen tonsils, or loud snoring, consult your doctor about a tonsillectomy.

American Academy of Pediatrics, Subcommittee on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, Section on Pediatric Pulmonology. Clinical practice guideline: diagnosis and management of childhood obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Pediatrics. 2002 Apr;109(4):704-12.

Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, et al. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. St Louis, Mo; Mosby; 2005.

Review Date: 12/1/2008
Reviewed By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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