When Do You Need To Remove The Tonsils On Children?
Nowadays, surgery to remove the tonsils, or tonsils, is not as common as a few years ago. There are two reasons why doctors choose to remove the tonsils: tonsillitis (sore throat) and sleep apnea. Normally a specialist decides if you need to remove them or not.
The tonsils are located in the throat, and they form antibodies for the respiratory system. Above all, they help protect against viruses, bacteria and fungi during early childhood.
The tonsils are covered with an epithelium. The epithelium is an unhorned multilayered squamous epithelium that has many invaginations. The lymphoid tissue consists of many lymph follicles and may have lymphocytes infiltrated within it.
When do you need to remove the tonsils?
The two main reasons for removing the tonsils are tonsillitis (sore throat) and sleep apnea. Sore throat is an inflammation of the tonsils, and is actually one of the most common childhood diseases. Sleep apnea occurs when the airways are blocked while sleeping.
In both cases, an ear, nose and throat specialist determines whether the tonsils need to be removed through surgery. When children have recurrent throat infections, many specialists want to remove them. The question is: how often do you have to have tonsillitis in order to be recommended to remove the child’s tonsils?
For children up to 12 years, they are usually removed when there are 6 or more infections per year, for at least 2 consecutive years.
When it comes to sleep apnea, it is when children have difficulty breathing at night while sleeping. This not only causes fatigue during the day because they do not get enough sleep, but also increases the risk of major problems.
Is it possible to avoid surgery?
Nowadays, surgery is usually the patient’s last resort. But until very recently, it used to be very common to take out the tonsils. Doctors removed them at the slightest sign of inflammation.
The difference is that now the goal is to allow children to naturally develop their immune system and their antibodies. Children under 5 years of age with frequent tonsillitis are completely normal. In addition, they build up immunity that helps them for the rest of their lives.
However, an ear, nose and throat specialist may decide that surgery is necessary if the patient has difficulty breathing, hearing problems or a risk of other serious side effects.
If your child often gets viral or bacterial infections, it is important to follow your pediatrician’s recommendations step by step. Following the right treatment and not exposing your child to new infections is a way to give the immune system time to prevent new relapses.
For children with sleep apnea, it is often noticed that the child snores. In general, children with a large mucus production can breathe through the mouth when they sleep. However, if they constantly have difficulty breathing and they snore too loudly, do not hesitate to contact a doctor.
What type of surgery is required to remove the tonsils?
The operation to remove the tonsils is simple and relatively short. However, the recovery period takes about 10-20 days and then it is rest that applies. This rest period is important as bleeding can occur up to 10 days after surgery. It is important to prevent any reactions from the operation.
Surgeons perform the operation with cryotherapy and laser. In the most common type of surgery, they are cut out. The patient must come to the operating room with an empty stomach, as it is necessary to be put to sleep with anesthesia.
Both children and adults need about two hours of recovery in the hospital. Then you can go home.
In summary, it is recommended that the tonsils be removed when the child’s medical history indicates so. The operation is relatively simple, but you must be careful during recovery. When the first three or four weeks have passed, life improves significantly.
