Tonsils are two masses of lymphoid tissue at the edge of the throat with each located on one side of the tongue's root. They help in fighting off germs trying to reach the throat through the mouth and nose. They are effective germ fighters, but sometimes they also get a bacterial or viral attack that causes an infection.

If the infection does not clear with medication or keeps on recurring, a doctor might decide to remove them through a process called Tonsillectomy. It is surgical removal of tonsils to treat tonsil inflammation (tonsillitis) or infection.

An ENT specialist can recommend tonsillectomy if a tonsil infection is causing one of these health problems.

Recurrent strep throat infection

An infection and enlargement of the tonsils cause pain when swallowing. It is a sign of tonsillitis which is caused by a virus that you can treat by giving the child a lot of fluids and rest. However, tonsillitis caused by strep throat bacteria which make the tonsils to have white spots is a more severe problem.

Doctors can consider removing the tonsils after 4-5 positive strep tests in a year or six to seven in two years. Strep bacteria can permanently occupy the tonsils and erupt sporadically hence tonsillectomy could be the solution. After removing the tonsils, it is essential o take the kid for regular checkups as strep can still attack their throat by spreading from other children.

A constant sore throat

If a child frequently gets a sore throat, the problem could be tonsils especially when you notice yellow spots or spits smelly debris with a similar appearance to rice grains. These are tonsil debris which is a sign of chronic tonsillitis that with time causes a sore throat and bad breath. Chronic tonsillitis occurs mostly in older children and can sometimes be hard to manage medically. The only cure is to remove tonsils and adenoids (a mass of enlarged lymphatic tissue placed between the throat and back of the nose).

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Blocked airways

Children who snore a lot and have other sleeping difficulties due to tonsil enlargement may require treatment by tonsillectomy.

Sleep difficulties occur due to too much enlargement of the tonsils and adenoids to the point of blocking airways. It might cause sleep apnea because the swollen tonsils briefly stop breathing making the child wake up several times in the night. If a child becomes a very restless sleeper, snores loudly, gasps and turns frequently, it could be that the tonsils are blocking the airways. It occurs since muscles around adenoids and tonsils relax and collapse the airways. The airways block in the process making the brain to prevent suffocation by waking the child up.

Inability to breath causes an adverse effect on the lungs. It also makes children use excess energy that would help in learning and procession that takes place in uninterrupted sleep. Children who do not sleep enough are likely to become hyperactive or fidgety to the extent of appearing as if they have ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) a constant activity causing hyperactivity, attention difficulty, and impulsiveness.

Recurrent sinusitis

If a child has repeated sinusitis, a condition that causes inflammation around the nasal passages, it is essential for a doctor to determine if the cause could be adenoids or tonsil inflammation. Bacteria hide within the tonsil and adenoid cells where antibiotics cannot reach thus causing recurrent sinusitis. The reasonable treatment for recurrent sinusitis is to remove adenoids and maybe the tonsils as they are the areas where bacteria hide and cause re-infection. When removing the glands, an ENT specialist could also wash the child’s sinuses to open up the drainage pathways to helping to clear the infection.

Tonsil tummy

Frequent tummy problems from aches to lost appetite could be a sign of inflammation that spreads from the tonsils. The immune response by the lymph glands in the intestines is to enlarge and cause stomach discomfort. The tonsils in the throat will also swell because of the inflammation. Removing the tonsils and adenoids helps to stop the tummy problems.

Children tolerate surgery to remove tonsils and adenoids well and usually get a discharge after a few hours. Doctors prescribe some painkillers to manage pain during recovery that usually takes 10 days.