Tonsillectomy For Treating Sleep Related Breathing Disorders In Children!

Sleep related breathing disorder is a major problem affecting children and adults.

Pauses during sleep can cause sleep related breathing disorder, which include sleep apnea [Sleep apnea information], snoring, central hypoventilation, and periodic breathing.

The usual cause for the obstruction of breathing is large tonsils and adenoids. Removal of these tissues is essential if the patient is having sleep related breathing disorders. Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy are the two surgeries that remove the tissues of tonsils and adenoids.

These surgeries help to treat sleep apnea in children and adults, snoring and other breathing disorders. The surgeries take about sixty minutes and are performed under general anesthesia.

Children with sleep related breathing disorders:

If the child is diagnosed with sleep related breathing disorders, his/her tonsils and adenoids should be removed with surgery to sleep better. If the disorders are not treated in children, it can lead to hyperactive behavior, learning problems, bed wetting, headaches and daytime sleepiness.

The surgeon removes the tonsils in the child through open mouth without cutting the child’s skin. With series of incisions, tonsils can be removed and then blood vessels are cauterized. If the child has bleeding, he will be taken immediately to the operating room.

After the surgery, throat swelling, sleepiness and nerve injury are common. These are caused due to surgery and medications that are used for surgery.

Children below three years, who have other medical conditions such as Down syndrome, are likely to have more complications, especially difficulty in breathing. Therefore, these children are given oxygen therapy or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP Machine) after the surgery.

The surgery is performed to remove enlarged tonsils and adenoids that block your airway during sleep. This is the preferred treatment for children because the enlarged tonsils can cause sleep apnea.

After six months of surgery, the condition can be improved noticeably in children. After the surgery, hyperactivity and other behavioral problems can be reduced.

Risks involved with surgery:

• Throat will be sore
• Eating and swallowing becomes difficult for few days
• Infection at the operated area
• Excessive bleeding

Postoperative care in children:

As it takes one week or more to relieve from pain and discomfort, it can have impact on eating, drinking and returning to normal activities.

• In the beginning after the surgery, give soft foods and drinks.
• When you notice postoperative bleeding in your child or vomit blood clots, take immediately to the doctor
• Hydrate your child, as dehydration can make the child sick and feel more pain. Encourage your child to drink more fluids.
• As the doctor prescribes medications for the pain and infection, antibiotics and pain medications should be given regularly.