Experience of recurrent tonsillitis in young DC?

[megandraper]

My DSs are being investigated for suspected recurrent tonsillitis.

They both have a fever (39 degrees or so) about every 3-4 weeks (and have done for over a year). It lasts for 3-4 days. Usually no cough/cold/vomiting/diarrhoea. I don't usually take them to the docs, but when I do, it is often said to be tonsillitis.

Paediatrician (both boys are coeliac so we have one) is now investigating as they are ill so often. DS2 (age 3) came down with it this weekend, took to hospital (as instructed) and doctor found pus on tonsils. Has taken a swab and sent it for analysis. Put DS2 on penicillin for 10 days.

Anyway, the investigation is underway, but just wanted to know if anyone else had experience of this and what the underlying cause was / whether they had a tonsillectomy etc.

[amazingmumof6]

my DS1 had that when he was 3 (or 4? I can't remember)
he had 6 episodes in 8 months.
they said if he has another in the next 3 months than that's it, and he was pre-booked for a tonsillectomy, but he must have understood as had none in the following year, so we canceled op.

he is now 11 and typically has an tonsillitis once or twice a year, but not serious enough to have them taken out. if it got worse, I'd

your boys have it much worse then mine ever did, so if I were you I'd get rid of tonsils asap!

[megandraper]

Thanks amazing. Will see what happens.

My DB had a tonsillectomy in his teens and it was a nightmare - massive haemorrhage after the operation & nearly died, so I am a bit wary!

[upinthehills]

Both my DS have had their tonsils out - aged 4 & 2 respectively. The 2 year old handled it much better than the older one. Yes it was painful, but not so much that it has scared them iyswim. We were for sleep apnoea though.

That does seem to be a lot of illness - if the doctor's are pretty sure that the tonsils are the cause I would be giving is serious consideration.

[ClareMarriott]

When I was a little and this is the early 60's , I used to have tonsillitis what seemed like all the time, so much so that by the time I was 8 I had my tonsils and adenoids taken out . It also effected my schooling as I did 2 years in the transition class so hope bedhopper you get your DS's sorted out

[bruffin]

I was the same in the 60s but it was coming up to the time when they were more reluctant to take them out. I was 10 when they finally took them out after I had 3 bouts in as many months and was coming back to school then off again the next week. Tonsillitis is horrible, so hope they can sort it out soon.

[alibobins]

Ds2 is going through something similar although he has been hospitalised 5 times since june after numerous tests scans and xrays it was decided that his tonsils are poisoning his little body he also hasild sleep apnea so is now on the emergency list to have tonsils and adenoids out in the next few weeks. Ds2 is nearly 3 and hope this gives me my happy little boy back.

[megandraper]

Hope you get the operation date soon alibobins, that sounds awful for your poor DS.

My boys are fairly newly gluten-free (earlier this year) because of coeliac, so part of me thinks that perhaps their immune system will still be improving after malabsorption deficiencies. Though that's more the case for the older one, as we caught it so early for DS2 that he didn't have significant intestinal damage.

[alibobins]

He was tested for ceoliac but the text came back negative.

[lifeintheolddogyet]

My DS1 had recurrent tonsillitis each wither from the age of about 1/2 til 4/5. Last winter (he's 6 now) was the first 'normal' winter for him really. I think that his tonsils are so scarred that they don't infect any more. I don't know if that is medically possible but if I look down his throat, expecting to see two healthy pink bulges down the back I see two pitted, greyish things. They look dead tbh but there's been no tonsillitis yet this year or last.

So we pulled out of it (I hope!) He had it so often he'd be in nursery for a week and then off for a week, it was that bad. We were in the process of referral when it calmed down.

He has a friend who had the op over the summer and it's been brilliant. He can hear and speak more clearly, sleep better (and quieter!) and he's missed no school so far this year.

Good luck OP.

[megandraper]

thanks lifein - I'm glad it worked out well for you. DS1 who has had the same problem has gone just over a month now without tonsillitis, so I am thinking perhaps he is also pulling out of it! We will see what the paediatrician says about DS2...