Tonsillectomies and children

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Children and tonsillectomies

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

• Obstructed breathing during sleep
• Difficulty swallowing
• Recurrent throat infections:
  • 7 in 1 year
  • 5 a year for 2 years
  • 3 a year for 3 years
• Recurrent serious throat infections (abscesses)

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.

Review Date: 08/08/2005
Reviewed By: Kevin Fung, M.D., FRCS(C), Department of Otolaryngology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.