Have you had chronic tonsillitis? Have you been told it’s time to get your tonsils and adenoids removed? In an email below from a reader friend, Becky, she asks if there are other options for her son, and I told her I’d put it out there and ask all of you!
But first I need to say this…
It seems I’ve been receiving emails like the one below a lot lately, and I love it, because it shows that more and more, people are starting to think for themselves. As I’ve said before, in no way am I suggesting that you disregard what your doctor tells you. His advice may very well be the best plan for you to follow. But what I do love to see is when someone doesn’t blindly follow what their doctor (or anyone) says, and instead comes home to research it like crazy before making any decisions. Obviously, you can’t blindly follow everything you read in a Google search either, but with a healthy dose of common sense, you can find answers you may never have thought of before.
What are tonsils and adenoids?
“The tonsils are grape-sized pieces of tissue in the back of the throat on each side. The adenoids are small pads of tissue at the back of the nose above the throat. The adenoids can't be seen when you open your mouth because they are behind the soft palate. Both tonsils and adenoids produce antibodies to fight infections, but they are probably only important to a neonate. They are usually removed if they become so large that they interfere with breathing or swallowing, or if recurrent infections occur.” (Source)
That “probably” word in the paragraph above represents an unknown, yet this is a common surgery…?
Read Becky’s email:
“Hi Kelly, I've been combing the internet trying to find some answers, and I wondered if anyone had ever broached this subject before on your website?
My 6 (almost 7) year old, since starting school, has had innumerable ear infections, and right now is on his 4th antibiotic (!!!) in 3 months. We were just sent to an ENT, who told me that he needs to have his tonsils and adenoids taken out, and tubes put in his ears. He also has a lymph node on his neck that has been swollen for the past year, and we're dealing with sleep apnea – even though he's not overweight at all. I am so sick of all of this, and just want him to feel good again. I would much rather find a more natural way of getting rid of all the infection, besides taking out body parts.
However, my husband, and everyone else in his family, is completely accepting of the tonsillectomy. To them, they've all had their tonsils out so it's almost like a rite of passage to do this. I hear things like “Oh, well, you're a Deemter, that's for sure,” and “Of course you have to have your tonsils out, it runs in our family.”
Right now, surgery is scheduled for July 14th. I'm trying to find a way to get rid of the constant ear infection and swollen tonsils between now and then, so that I can say “See? He doesn't need it after all.” (My husband is adamant that we do this surgery.)
So I just wondered if this is something that has been discussed or if you know of anyone who has dealt with this? I want to help my boy!
(Oh – and we eat mostly clean. Gluten-free, no refined sugars, lots of veggies and fruit, and I've been soaking grains. He takes cod liver oil every day, and a probiotic, along with eating yogurt from full fat, pastured milk and Kerrygold butter every day.)
If you could even point me in the right direction for more help, I would be so grateful.
Thanks so much,
Becky
I forgot to mention (and this is what really has me a bit freaked out) that the Dr. was really concerned because the lymph node in his neck has been swollen for over a year – he wants to biopsy the lymph node.”
I have a quick comment about the swollen lymph node…
I’ve had this for a couple years now on the back of my neck, and it freaked me out a bit at first, too. I was sent to a surgeon to see if it should be biopsied and he said, “I’ll biopsy it if you want, but it feels completely benign to me.” I agreed with him, you can feel a little bump in there that moves if you press it back and forth between two fingers and just feels like nothing, so we left it.
I asked Becky if we could include that last part along with the tonsils and adenoids question, and told her, ‘You'll get good info on that too, my readers are SO smart, I love them!” Thank you everyone, for always being there to help so many with your advice!
So I’m curious what you can share with us about the lymph node and the tonsils and adenoids. Have you researched this issue? Are there times when it’s best to have the tonsils and adenoids removed? Are there ways to avoid this surgery?
I asked Becky to tell us about herself:
I live in Jenison, here in West Michigan. Micah is our only child. He was our completely unexpected gift from God. I was 39 & my husband was 46 when he was born. Our favorite thing to do as a family is camping! Micah went on his first camping trip (tent camping!) when he was 3 months old, and he has adored camping since then. We start planning our Summer camping trips in January. I've always been interested in nutrition and healthy eating, but it's only been in the past year that I've discovered traditional eating and cooking and its benefits. As soon as I started reading about it, it made perfect sense to me, and I'm not-so-slowly converting our household to a traditional diet.
- More on common ailments and natural remedies
- Help at home for a colds/earache, how to avoid colds, flu, ear infections, & antibiotics
- Wonder where to find a healthy source for safe meat?
- My posts on dieting
kevin Zhu says
Since 2013, I have had innumerable ear pain, every time I went on a plane to anywhere, until the jet was completely above 30000 fts. I was misdiagnosed for an ear infection and tonsil/adenoid problems, which the doctor planned also for a tonsillectomy and put tubes in my ear. I was not convinced at all, because I would never sufferer from such intense plain on ground level, I had to research and results were shocking, and matched to my knowledge. It was said to be a communication between the ear and mouth that may be blocked, and this was quickly confirmed after a visit to see a completely different doctor. I knew that what the first doctor had said was not correct at all and ear tubing is only for severe cases. Since this was in the UK, they didn’t do much or prescribe any medication, but in China, I would most likely have been on an IV drip/cannula for every 3 or 4 days per week . I felt that what my knowledge and the second doctor told me was correct when every time I chewed gum or sweets on each plane journey only for the take-off and landing part. I have had relatives who have had innumerable ear infection and tonsillitis and they recovered very quickly (within 2 and a half weeks) after having IV grip/cannula for every 5 days a week in China. I feel quite strange that the IV drip/cannula is not given in Western countries for innumerable infections, and antibiotics prescribed instead- this leads to the enlargement of tonsils and adenoids as well.
kevin Zhu says
Most people do not disregard the doctor’s words, but as a pharmaceutical and bio-organic chemist, the knowledge I have is far more than the doctors. My area of chemistry is based on medicinal chemistry and thinking of medical things in the chemistry perspective. I have never made a single mistake in diagnosing illnesses and disease that my family members suffered from before they even went to the doctors. I have disregarded doctors and nurses in some instances that I feel there needs to be precise actions taken. Being a pharmaceutical chemist is better than being a doctor as chemistry is the central science and aids in physical and astronomical sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, medical sciences, material sciences and environmental sciences. Looking into the Nobel prize winners in medicines, most of those winner were either biochemists or pharmaceutical chemists, and not doctors or medicals at all.
I agree that tonsils and adenoids and lymph nodes should not be removed unless in emergency conditions if they causes breathing issues or swallowing problems or recurring infections if they enlarge. Tonsils and adenoids are part of the immune system in helping to produce antibodies to fight of diseases. There are lymph nodes close to both the adenoids and tonsils, and removal of them when unnecessary is a potential risk, as losing the lymph nodes will weaken the immune system. The immune and lymphatic system is made of a collection of nodes around the body, and the lymph nodes are connected closely to the lymphatic vessels which drains lymphatic fluid away from the lungs- more lymphatic fluid will be produced in illness than when not in illness. Many people seem to know what a node is- a node (in the immune system) is a special tissue that stores and produces white blood cells (all types) and when you are struck down by a diseases the nodes will release white blood cells to attack the bacteria or virus). Removal of lymph nodes and tonsils can decrease immunity if done when not in emergency or in normal conditions. The lymph nodes often swell up in illnesses, to help remove lymphatic fluid and produce lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell that aid in the immune and lymphatic system),
I only have one family member (my daughter) who has had their tonsils and adenoids removed as an emergency proceedure, and at that time, me and the doctor agreed for the surgery to take place. I even made sure that it the tonsillectomy was carried out in the method of using a bovie (a pen like instrument which burns down flesh and blood vessels, in particular the arteries and veins; which is required in surgeries that require the cutting through of such blood vessels) as most countries use this method to prevents heavy bleeding, as I have several friends who have had a tonsillectomy and suffered from heavy bleeding on the night of the day of discharge. As my daughter had the surgery when my wife and I were visiting my relatives back in my native China, I needed to make sure of the method used as I was born in China, but lived in the UK for most of my life, and I was not very sure of the method the Chinese used, I was confident as well, as the high population in China meant that most doctors would have a lot of experience in most type of surgeries as the hospitals in China works differently to the Western countries, where they split the doctors in to departments according their specialism (i.e. in China, the departments in hospitals are the orthopedics, stomatology, dermatology, otolaryngology, pediatrics, cardiovascular, internalists-internal organs doctor, neurology and ophthalmology, etc…). It is easy to find the departments and navigate around the hospital. The doctors do not prescribe pain meds/pain relied meds/painkillers for adults or the eldery who have surgeries sch has tonsillectomy or less invasive surgeries or endoscopy and colonscopy, but they will only prescribe pain medication for anyone of any age who have had stomach or heart or back/spine or leg or ankle surgeries, and if you are a child who has had less invasive surgery. The doctor did prescribed pain medication to my daughter, but did advice to only take it when necessary, and as a pharmaceutical chemist I work with everyday medications and prescription drugs such as painkillers, and I know of the implications and side effects of taking such drugs after surgeries. My daughter (eldest of my kids) did suffer from a lot of pain after surgery, and even though she was very young, she never moaned and never took any of the prescribed painkillers- she just ate and drank ice water and ice cream/fruit ice lolly to numb the pain every day for a week- I didn’t really want her to take any pain medication at all if the pain is not to point of dying or causing suffering. She even said the pain was like only a sore throat from flu/common cold, which for a young kid was suprising. If it was my other daughter, I would expect hours of moaning, crying, fussing about…etc.. I thought the doctor in China did a great job, not only because he was a professor in stomatology. She never suffered from any heavy bleeding from the mouth or any nose bleeds after the tonsillectomy and was discharged on the day of the surgery.
For her, the hospital did a great job in not making her wait for a long time to see a doctor in the ER (normally you have to wait for a long time to see a doctor if it’s not urgent or if not an emergency as there are so many people seeing the doctors everyday in China- its like going into a superstore in the UK at peak times when there are a lot of people). I feel that it soley depends what doctor you get for the surgery, younger doctors have less experience than an a doctor who has both worked in hospital and worked as a university/college senior lecturer for 30 years).
I was particularly worried of my daughter, before the surgery of the procedure of getting the anesthesia, as we have been living in the UK for several years, although all my kids were born in my home city, Beijing; and the procedure used in the UK is different to that in China, if you were struck down by some sort of illness such as fever, respiratory illness, or the common flu/cold, the doctors in China, would put you straight onto an IV drip/cannula for the length of time they advise for instead of medication (only if you are not going to stay for long periods of time in the country) for a speedy recovery, but in the UK, they would prescribe medication instead and not use needles. But in the end, every thing went very smoothly all was okay; no moaning or crying, which shocked me for such a young child of 3 years old at the time. I still feel protective of my kids and what doctors say to anyone in the family. I expect them to report back and I will have plan out a long conversation with them and what actions needs to be taken. A lot of people report side effects of snoring a lot, snuffling and a bent septum, mostly snoring is due to repsiratory problems of the lungs and septum/nasal canal. Snuffling can be a side effect also linked to it. My daughter and friends who have had the tonsillectomy and adenoid removal surgery never suffered such side effect at all- bent septum is a sign of the adenoid removal surgery has gone wrong or the wrong procedure was used. When my daughter and friends had their adenoids removed, the doctors used a procedure of not directly placing the curette into the septum to reach the adenoids, but instead placed the curette down the endoscope which was inserted via the nasal septum. I felt that every thing was done to a high standard, and I continue to think that if I was to have such surgery I would choose to do have it done in my home country, China.
C says
Hi, as someone who had their tonsils and adenoids removed very early in life, age 4, I felt I could add some helpful commentary. Up until I had the surgery done I was constantly getting strep and tonsillitis as a kid. At its worst, I consistently has strep for over the course of a month, at any given moment I could have tested positive for strep. Although my original doctor was hesitant to do the surgery on me (he tried several different medications, none of which worked for long,) the second doctor I visited was very quick to recommend the surgery. The second doctor said that my tonsils were so swollen that he couldn’t believe I was still breathing, and asked my mother if I snored. When she replied yes, he informed her that the snoring was caused by the massive amount of swelling in my tonsils and adenoids, and immediately helped us schedule a meeting with a surgeon.
While I still am highly susceptible to strep, I actually have it at the moment, I feel as though the surgery was definitely the right call. I get strep around four times a year, but I’m sleeping better, not snoring, not in constant pain, and can breathe clearly (in regards to the throat and nasal passage, I have other health problems that effect my air flow). If your kid is having severe problems, I say go right ahead with the surgery. I know a lot of people are terrified of letting their child have any type of operation, but I honestly believe any one suffering should at least consider this option. Though I’ve never heard of any serious risk factors, and myself have no side effects, weigh the risks and benefits of the surgery for your child.
Thank you for your time,
C
C says
Just remembered to include this, the recovery from the surgery isn’t that bad. Though, kids react to it differently. I for one ate a four piece chicken nugget meal from McDonald’s the day I was released from the hospital (this annoyed my father, who planned on eating my food after I gave up due to the pain, to no end,) but I know that other kids can complain for days about the pain. Honestly, it depends entirely upon your child, their personality, and their pain tolerance. At most, kids can complain about their throat for a week after the surgery, following that it’s all uphill.
C
KitchenKop says
Good morning C, thank you so much for sharing your story, and a perspective from someone who has been there! 🙂
Kelly
J Caldwell says
Hi, Has anyone discussed the issue of dairy? I was sick all the time as a kid with strep and as a adult had sinus infections that led to strep until I cut out the dairy, then I was never sick. Dr. McDougall Total Health Solution for the 21st Century cd set is a great one to listen to. It is based on the New York Times Best Seller The McDougall Plan. Also, I would highly recommend that anyone considering having this type of surgery as a last resort, google side effects. Please get food allergy blood tests done first.
Veronica says
I know this series is two years old, but that new queries will be reading it…so here it is..This is from the perspective of Chinese Medicine as well as Systemic Family Constellations (Bert Hellinger/Dietrich Klinghardt/Five Levels of Healing)
I am reading lots of good comments…one major missing piece…You mentioned that the tonsils are a “family thing” from his dad’s side. And that his Dad is “adament” about him getting the surgery. Since he is a boy, this may be the first of many times he has to “take a different path” than his dad..Age 6/7 starting school and pushing in new teeth is a critical time for kids. For boys especially, it is the first “separation from Mom” (home world) and stepping towards Dad (outside world) If he has a combination of normal psychological issues here and perhaps some structural stuff (from birth and the pushing teeth) this could trap chronic infection in his throat. Also, what is he not SAYING? (throat)…just starting the dialog away from the physical, which seems to be well handled. Check out You Tube, Five Levels of Healing with Dr. Klinghardt….
Mabel says
Don’t do it!! At 30 years old I was told I needed to have my tonsils removed & sinuses reconstructed. Only to find out 6 months later that I was living in a mold infested home. The Penicillium & Aspergillosis counts were sky high. The lymph node in the back of my neck on the right side swells up, during an exposure then returns to normal.
Do your research, test, question & get second/third opinions!! Everyone needs to attempt to keep every lymph node & organ in order to survive.
Best Regards…
Tiffany says
I just came across this blog post and until last week I had never giving tonsils a second thought – I barley knew where they where! I knew my dad had his taken out as a little kid but that is where my knowledge started and stopped. We took our 6 year old into the doctor, a naturalpath, for a well kid visit and she noticed how BIG our daughter’s tonsils were. And the dr. asked is Mikayla just had a cold or something and the answer was no. She also asked if Mikayla has sore throats a lot and the answer is no as well. In general my kids are very healthy and so far neither one has needed antibiotics. This doctor told us to keep an eye on them, gargle with salt water once a week to clean up – so to say. She also said that if Mikayla gets a cold or a sore throat to avoid eating big sticky things like peanut butter and all should be good.
Nicole says
This is very topical for me at the moment as I am taking 2 of my kids to see the ENT next week. My 12yr old son seems to have a bent septum and snores atrociously and sniffles a lot, especially in the evening (I wonder why he sniffles in the evening??). My 7yr old daughter has severe asthma attacks (though not regularly) and also snores and tosses and turns all night.
I myself had recurrent tonsillitis as a child and missed a lot of the first 2 years of school. I had my tonsils removed in grade 2 and it improved my health a lot.
I guess my question still is, what are the health risks if you do decide to remove tonsils and adenoids??? Is there a major reason to keep them??? I mean, I have suffered with depression, anxiety and fatigue as an adult but I have put that down to all the anti-biotics I took as a child for my sore throats and also the months of anti-biotics I took as a teenager for my acne. I wonder if there is any research linking these soughts of illnesses with people who don’t have tonsils????????????
I myself had septo-plasty recently (straightening of the septum) and for the first time in my life I am sleeping soundly and without snoring (my husband can stay in the bed all night!!!). I guess I think that sought of surgery would be worth it for my kids if it means sleeping well as they grow up (though I don’t know if they perform that surgery on kids).
Also, I have heard that some children’s asthma will improve after they’ve had their tonsils removed.
I wish someone could tell me if there are dire consequences to having tonsils removed.
Thanks if anyone read this far!
Ellebee says
Just doing some research for myself- thanks for all the comments
In the matter of what God puts there should stay – there is also the bible quote “If it offends thee cut it off”. So no problems there.
Emily says
Hi,
I can appreciate your situation. I wonder how it has all turned out. We too have been through a similar situation. My son now six before the age of two had constant strep it was suggested to remove his tonsils. We waited way to young.. No way. But now that he is six with allergy induced asthma (and he is allergic to everything) after running the gambit and trying all sorts of medicines, herbs, supplements, vitamins, probiotics… His tonsils remained the size of golf balls. We wanted the doctors to tell us why. They could not but only suggested surgery to have adenoids and tonsils out. We may have opted out of this but for this one simple fact. The sleep apnea. It is imperative that our children get the proper sleep for them to develop and receive the growth hormones only achieved during deep sleep. I know my son had allergies and asthma but what I also knew was the tonsils were a ticking time bomb of damage. We opted for surgery. It has been excruciatingly painful at times and others he is fine. It’s been 7 days out from surgery and his apnea is already better. As far as not removing something god put in your body for a reason well that’s a matter conscience. I wonder how you decided to go. For us surgery was the healthiest way to go. I hope your journey goes well.
lindsey says
I was just researching tonsil and adnoid removal as im going to school for nursing and we were talking about it in class today and ran across this page. I had mine removed when about 8 because I use to get strep throat all the time! I also had bad allergies and would sniffle a lot. Since the surgery I still will get a sore throat once in a while but nothing like I use to and not once have gotten strep throat. Also my allergies improved a lot. My teacher had said that they are not promoting the surgery as much anymore and Im just researching why because it improved my health a lot
Judy says
We had to move my daughter to another school as the building was making her sick. It was a very old building and full of mold. Her allergist told us we had no choice on this one. She was constantly sick and tested allergic to mold.
Once out of there, she did much better.
I hope you can find just the right answers for your unique situation!
Best wishes!!
Cindy Perez says
I didn’t read all the other posts, and probably this was already suggested, but have you tried NAET? All the horrible allergies I had and they were cleared up so quickly – one 15-minute treatment for each one! I am 54 years old and had begun to feel so badly, get sick frequently, etc. Also, we see a NAET Christian couple who have around 40 combined years of RN experience as well. You can go to http://www.naet.com to find out where a practitioner is near your location – oh, and did I mention that the cost is extremely reasonable as well?
sandra says
Hi Cindy: I was wondering if you had to be Christian and have a Christian NAET practitioner in order to get help? You mentioned that you were seeing a ‘Christian’ couple who are treating you and am curious as to the fact that they are ‘Christian’ enhances this particular treatment?
Diana says
I realize I’m in the stark minority here, but here’s our story:
My two older children, both attending the same school (kindergarten and grade 2 at the time), had their first ever strep infections in late November of that school year (first ever antibiotics for the 7-year old, 2nd ever for the 5-year old). Each of them battled strep through July — 8 months, 5 separate infections each. Our two-year old (still breastfeeding) did not catch it, but my husband and I did (and — whoa, I didn’t know strep in an adult brought on such misery! It was my first acute illness in several years and really took me out.)
I was sort of fed up with the pediatricians (we’re military — so our docs get paid whether they see us or not, surgeons get paid the same no matter the number of procedures they perform, so there’s no pressure to do something that isn’t necessary) so I brought my kids to my doctor, who I really liked for what he was helping me to discover about my own health. He took one look at each of them and immediately ran tests for all sorts of other things, like mono, viruses I wouldn’t have considered. He said in his years of practice he had never seen tonsils like theirs — HUGE, touching, and they DID NOT SHRINK between infections.
We were referred to the ENT and since I’m typically a very non-intervention kind of mother (3 natural childbirths, child-led weaning from breastfeeding, no vaccines, excellent diet, etc.), I asked a lot of questions. He told me that our tonsils are important from birth to age two. During that time, they protect the child from bacteria that enter through the mouth (which, to me, made good sense from my perspective that God created us as we should be). He explained that, after age two, they are just back there, getting inflamed from time to time but, unless there is a problem, they will go back down to normal size between infections.
He let me have a look at my kids’ tonsils and I saw for myself; they were huge and they were touching. I didn’t realize it at the time, but my son was not sleeping well at all (sleep apnea); we did know both of them snored like crazy. We decided to have the surgeries, 2 weeks apart. It was barbaric and the recovery was really, really rough … but neither child has had a single illness this school year (despite the school still being like a petri dish) — their immune systems were always very strong and that seems to be the case again. Seasonal allergies have abated significantly in both of them, and both children are shockingly more agreeable than before the surgeries (they are good kids in general, but after they healed, it was obvious they were sleeping much better and feeling far better rested than they previously had been).
For us, the surgery was absolutely the right thing. I had reached a point where I was refusing any more antibiotics for them, which meant they were missing a lot more school while we waited for the strep to clear; our pediatricians were hopping all over us about rheumatic fever and the other rare but possible sequelae of untreated strep … I was doing everything I knew how to do diet-wise, good vitamins, no allergens, no sugar, probiotics, you name it.
I think if the tonsils are only inflamed while the body is fighting an infection, that’s a different story than if they are staying swollen between infections. Once you’ve eliminated all inflammatory foods, etc., if the tonsils stay huge and cause problems (like harboring every bacteria that comes around, sleep apnea, constant post-nasal drip) … maybe get a few opinions and consider surgery.
KitchenKop says
It’s important to hear all sides, thank you for sharing your story!
Melissa Boersma says
I also gave some more thought to this topic – while I think that sometimes diet changes, etc. can really help and alleviate problems such as tonsillitis, I really believe at times that it is OKAY and necessary to remove tonsils – especially ones that are chronically making a child ill even after changes are made.
Someone made the comment about God putting organs in our body for a reason and that we shouldn’t remove them. While I surely agree with the sovereignty of God, I also think we can compare it a bit to something like the appendix or gall bladder…..no one would second-guess removing a burst or infected appendix, but when an organ is causing so much pain and sickness, sometimes the lesser of 2 evils is to have them removed.
Again, not judging anyone who thinks differently than me or makes a decision that was different than mine – we all just need to make the decision that is best for our family with the information we have!
There is such great information on this site and others and the personal stories of those struggling with similar decisions and health issues is invaluable! Let’s keep encouraging each other!
Margaret Auld-Louie says
Personally I would try numerous holistic options such as those listed above, and especially chiropractic. I would only do surgery as a last resort. However, if all else fails, it’s not the end of the world if he has them removed. My father had his tonsils removed when he was about 5 and he is now 87 years old and in good health. So having body parts removed does not necessarily condemn one to a lifetime of poor heatlh.
Bonny says
Hi, it’s me again. Also, Dr. Natasha has section in “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” specifically dealing with ear infections, and she also recommends putting probiotic directly on the tongue there, as well (since the ear/nose/throat is all connected). She has lots of other great tips for managing ear infections without antibiotics, and I would highly recommend reading (or rereading, if you already have) that section of the book. Her understanding of the bacterial balance in our bodies continually amazes me. http://www.gaps.com, http://www.gaps.me, and www.https://www.doctor-natasha.com are such excellent resources. Again, good luck!
Bonny says
Sorry, that first website should be http://www.gapsdiet.com.
Sarah says
I definitely think there is a connection between the school environment and his illnesses. That said I thought I’d add in my experiences. I have four kids, the oldest two have both had ear tubes put in, the second also had her tonsils and adenoids removed. My oldest had chronic ear infections so we did the tubes. They helped a lot, but I found out much later that his issue was allergies, (that didn’t show up on the allergy tests) and had I removed the foods we wouldn’t have had the problems. My second also had lots of food allergies, I caught some of them (again they didn’t show up on testing) but not all, so she got ear infections too. My third and fourth kids have never had to take antibiotics for ear infections. When they started to get one it was a sign they weren’t tolerating some food. I’d take the food out and the ear infection would go away. But I have to say, I have never regretted having the tubes put in for either child. It wasn’t until the surgery that my oldest started sleeping through the night (he was 15 months), and I know he felt much better after. As for the T&A surgery, I do regret that one. My daughter always breathed super heavy when she slept, we use to call her Darth Vader. I wanted the surgery, not realizing there were other options. The surgery went well, but she was in so much pain after that she started speaking differently in order to not hurt her throat. It sounds strange, but after the surgery she went from being almost fully understandable (at age 2) by anyone, to being very difficult for even me to understand. It has taken her several years to get back to speaking as well as she did before the surgery.
I also thought I’d mention, Candida overgrowth is also a possibility with as many antibiotics as your son has taken. My family is dealing with massive candida overgrowth right now also, and have been taking a supplement called Candida Force (generic for SF-722) for a little over two months. We’ve been following the protocol at https://www.mccombsplan.com/new/what_is_candida/vitruvian.php. It has definitely been a God-send for our family. We are all feeling better than we have in years. It might be worth looking into.
Good luck! I hope you are able to help your son find the healing he needs.
J in VA says
I second the exploration of your child’s school environment–esp. since this did not start until starting school. Homeschooling is a wonderful alternative to mainstream school and continual exposure to an irritant, if there is one there.
My other suggesiton is to sit down with yoru husband and make sure you both leave your emotions in another town. 🙂 Rationally discuss the options presented here, your personal concerns, write down the pros/cons of ALL options and come to SOME plan for where to go from here. You have got get to the same page–you both may have to flex at bit to get there. No one should make hasty irreversible decisions nor should one stubbornly refuse something that would be helpful.
Bonny says
A couple more thoughts: after reading all the comments now, I should add that my situation was very similar to yours. All this started when my oldest son started Kindergarten. Once the strep went away, he has been able to continue going to school and enjoyed good health (other than a couple of little colds/coughs that went away quickly). I noticed that we introduced potatoes back into our diet a couple of weeks ago and he got congestion/cough soon afterwards. So for us, we are going to keep avoiding starches while their bodies continue to heal. I should also add that we had tried other probiotics and supplements (like elderberry and unfermented cod liver oil), but it wasn’t until we used Bio-Kult in the way Dr. Natasha prescribed, along with the Green Pastures fermented CLO/BO that my kids (3 of them) beat the strep. I also had a friend who was going through the same thing, had her son’s tonsils removed, and on his follow-up appt with the ENT, he tested positive for strep. So getting those tonsils out is no guaruntee!
Bonny says
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (of “Gut and Psychology Syndrome”) answered an email of mine and saved my kids tonsils from surgery!
This is the very issue that got my family started on a real food diet.
Last Fall/Winter, my kids were getting round after round of strep, were on antibiotics for it 6-7 times in a very short time span, and all the ear-nose-throat specialist could offer was “keep doing antibiotics or take out their tonsils.” I was not happy with this answer–it just didn’t make sense to me that the only way to rid the body of infection was to cut off the body part. He said the strep bacteria had probably colonized in their tonsils and that antibiotics were only treating what was on the surface, and that the only way to get rid of it was surgery.
I decided to put the kids on the full GAPS diet and be very strict about it (no grains at all, lots and lots of broth and healthy fats, fresh juicing, etc). I emailed Dr. Natasha and she referred me to this answer on her website about strep: https://www.gaps.me/preview/?page_id=32. It’s on her FAQ’s about strep throat. Basically, she told me that in addition to the daily probiotic dose the kids were taking with their food (we use Bio-Kult), that I should open a capsule and put it on their tongues after every meal and before bedtime. The idea was that this would recolonize their throats with good bacteria, which would fight off the bad. I started doing this and the strep quickly went away! It has not returned and has been four months. We are continuing with the GAPS and WAPF diets, taking probiotics (including putting it directly on their tongues before bed), and doing fermented cod liver oil/butter oil. I have no doubt whatsoever that it was the GAPS diet, along with the aggressive probiotic treatment and FCLO/BO that got rid of the strep for us. Thank goodness for Dr. Natasha! She really is a godsend for our family. She is wonderful about emailing back, too, with answers to specific questions, and has written me more than once. Good luck!
Monica C says
I would really try to take dairy out before anything else. My husband and son have had chronic ear infections my husband had tubes in his ears and his tonsils out with very little change. A year ago we took them both off of dairy and and no more infections! they have had no problems for the last year. We recently tried to introduce high quality raw milk and within a few days, ear infections. I think it would worth the week or two to remove dairy (all dairy products & supplements)to try and see what happens before doing anything more drastic. Also the best home remedy we have found for an ear infection is some garlic oil drops in the ear a few times a day.
Steve says
My wife has been struggling with tonsillitis for the last 4 years, and finally the doctors had to remove her tonsils… Crazy to have to deal with when you are 30… but she has felt much better since the surgery.
bobcat says
There are also naturopaths who treat things like autism, Lyme, CFS, etc that have recommended getting the tonsils removed, because they can harbor problematic bacteria that keep coming back, like strep. Like the ND Dr. Klinghart in WA state. I am not saying if it’s right or wrong, just letting you know that it isn’t just MD’s (mainstream doctors) who think it’s a good idea.
bobcat says
How do you know he has sleep apnea? If he does indeed have it, it’s nothing to mess around with, because studies suggest that that kind of sleep disturbance, every night, leads to many health problems down the road (and now. But the probs down the road are worse, like increased risk of heart disease, etc). And talk about inflammation….try not getting normal sleep. I am a thin person in my 20’s with sleep apnea, and since I’ve been using a CPAP machine, I feel better during the day. It hasn’t solved all my health issues, but it has helped. Apnea is something that no one should live with, let alone a young person just beginning life and school. If he gets drowsy during the day, or irritable, it could be due to apnea (or a million other things, of course. but you mentioned apnea).
So if a surgery could reverse the apnea, it would be worth it, in my opinion. I am no expert, however. A good site for info on apnea is http://www.cpaptalk.com. It isn’t just for people using the machines, though most do.
hobby baker says
I would definitely look into environmental issues at school since your home diet seems to be exceptional. When I was in elementary school I would miss practically every Monday because they would turn on those old radiators that had sat all weekend and I would go through a box of kleenex over the course of a school day. Molds and dustmites were my two biggies. Maybe the school would be willing to do an air test or let you do one. Mold, especially stachybotrys, is a serious health issue, some people get chronic respiratory symptoms, some get “foggy”, some get migraines and some just get chronically ill. I think the correlation of illness to school attendance highly suspect just because I dealt with it from 4th through 12th grade and two really old schools. I will mention also that 20 years later after progressively worsening allergies, I went extremely low carb and my seasonal allergies went bye bye. The only time I even get twinges now are for extreme pollen counts OR when I have been consuming a lot of sugar. In any form. Good luck and I hope you and your family can get some answers.
Chandra says
I was a very sick child to the point of having to mash my food up into baby food again when I was little with tonsillitis and strep because it was during the phase when they didn’t want to take my tons and ads out. It went on for years until my mom got a dr that would do it. It was the best decision they could have made. My chronic ear infections cleared right up and I ended up not needing tubes after all. I haven’t had a case of either since. I have some allergies(to mold) and later in life I found out I can’t have gluten. I also am hypothyroid (I saw someone mentioned that upthread, maybe I was then too, it is autoimmune so it is no telling how long it went undiagnosed. It is hereditary, so unrelated.) When I was in college everyone around me could have strep and I would be fine, I wouldn’t get the slightest bit sick. I am REALLY glad my parents made that decision. Some of my friends still have theirs and it can get dangerous when they catch things for the first time in their 30’s like Epstein Barr Virus with/co-strep and requires hospitalization. So don’t worry too much if the surgery goes through, your kid might end up thanking you one day for it. I think it is one of the smartest decisions my parents made for me, my only gripe is they should have done it a lot sooner and saved me lots of misery and time on antibiotics. I would also recommend cutting out dairy for a bit to see if it unclogs the kids ears. I get all congested if I consume too much dairy, even raw.
Lisa says
I had chronic Strep as a child. I got it many times every year. It was painful and I missed lots of school and fun activities. My parents decided to have my tonsils removed when I was in 8th grade and I have not had Strep since (I’m 37 now). It was a great decision for me.
Lori says
This is an issue that most parents will have to face at sometime in their family’s life as it seems that at least one child wil end up with a chronic condition with the tonsils and adenoids.
I had my first bout with tonsilitis when I was just 6 months old. Then periodically over the years, especially in the cooler months, I would have bout with extreme ear aches, tonsilitis, the sore throat that goes with this, and fevers. The pain in my ears was so bad that I often would cry with it and would have to have oil put in my ear. I practically lived on antibiotics as a child. I also missed a lot of school from sickness with my tonsils. The pediatrician whom my parents took me to (1960’s) did not believe in taking out tonsils, especially in young children and so my parents accepted this advice and went on suffering.
Finally, one week before my 13th birthday, after another bout with tonsilitis (end of October), the doctor told my dad that maybe my tonsils should come out (maybe????). They came out and I was good and sore for an entire week. I also issed over a week of school (7th grade).
Well, that was 40 years ago and I have had incredible good health ever since as I’ve been freed from the sore throats, fevers, and ear aches that plagued me before my tonsilectomy. I never missed school again due to illness wth my throat or ears, and I’ve been in the best of health.
My oldest son had problems like I did, but he ended up with tubes in his ears and all kinds of problems. He ws 4 1/2 when his tonsils came out, though he continued to have some problems until he was around age 11 and then he outgrew the ear infections.
My oldest daughter never had any problems, but when she was 27 month sold she told me her ‘neck hurt’. What she meant was her throat hurt. I looked in her throat and her tonsils were all red and inflamed looking. I took her to the doctor and that same week her tnsils came out as they were growing (would eventally have cut off her breathing) and had veins growing on them; truly gross. She’s been the picture of health all these years and she is in her 30’s. My other 6 kids never had any ear or throat problem except for the occasional sore throats kids get.
Long story short~ Some kids need their tonsils out. It was a God-send for me. I just wish I’d have had mine out when I was 2 years old as I would have been saved from years of pain and illness.
Theresa says
T & A surgery was the best thing for our daughters. Highly recommend, even though many doctors are actually not pushing for it now.
Liz says
I know many people are anti-surgery over here, but sometimes it can be the answer you are looking for. I had strep throat often growing up and tonsillitis several times a year when I got older. It finally got so frequent that I had my tonsils removed when I was 19. I will not lie, it was PAINFUL! Like I would have rather given birth to a giant porcupine than had that surgery again painful. But considering it has been 12 years and I rarely get sick anymore I would say it was worth it.
My son, who just turned 6, had his tonsils and adenoids removed a few weeks ago to correct his severe snoring and sleep apnea. Considering how much pain I experienced I was very reluctant to let him have the surgery. The doctors wanted to do it when he was 18 months old and I said no way. But around age 5 1/2 his snoring and apnea came back so badly that I really felt we had no other options. The good news is he was sleeping quietly and peacefully his very first night home from surgery! And while it did take a full two weeks for him to recover, his pain was nothing like what I experienced. And he got to eat tons of pudding and popsicles and ice cream 🙂
While I certainly wish that we could cure everything with the proper diet, for me and my son I would say that having the surgeries was the right decision. I am happy to answer more questions about the surgery/recovery if you would like.
I hope your son is feeling better soon, however that healing comes!
Caroline says
This si a tough call. While you don’t want your child to suffer unnecessarily through chronic illness, you also don’t want to make a decision that could negatively impact the rest of their lives! My opinion would be to explore the mold situation at the school, and implement the stricter dietary protocols to see if that helps. Perhaps push back the sceduled surgery to the very end of summer to see if a summer outside of the possibly toxic school combined with diet resolves the issue. If not, then you and your husband need to make a decision based on the lesser of 2 evils I think.
Personally, I had a sudden issue of chronic tonsillitis when I was about 22. Rounds and rounds of antiboitics and it would flare right back the second I finished the drungs. Of course that came with all the awful things antibiotics do to your body as well! I was miserable. I finally yanked the tonsils, and was very glad I did. I have not had any issues with strep throat, or cold & sore throats in general in the 10 years since. Once I added in proper foods and nutrition I have become a veritable pillar of immunity. 🙂
So…tough call. I don’t envy you having to make this decision.
Stanley Fishman says
We need every organ we were born with. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed when I was two years old, and I had a lifetime of chronic respiratory infections, colds, bronchitis, chronic sinus problems, and many other illnesses, until they were cured with real food. My son, who is now an adult, kept his tonsils and adenoids and never had an ear infection.
I would suggest you consider seeing a good homeopath. The right homeopathic treatment has worked for many people, but the treatment mus be based on the individual, and it takes a skilled homeopath to determine what remedies to take.
All surgery is dangerous, especially in these days of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Susan says
Our six year old daughter had strep pretty much every month for 2 years so the doctor took out her tonsils and adenoids. At the time, I was pushing for the doctor to remove them because our child was sick and on antibiotics so much. After her surgery she got pneumonia from being allergic to the codeine that was given to her afterwards. She still tested positive for strep and also staph several times since she had the surgery, but it wasn’t every month as it had been before. Years later, she got mono twice, right before college and a year later, even while being a college athlete and taking care of herself. I just wish I had known more back then than I do now, I would not have pushed for the surgery but would have done my own research.
I have read since then that oil of oregano has antibiotic, antiviral, and I believe also antifungal properties so might have tried that if I had known about then. It has a horrible taste, but it does take the pain away. It has helped my husband tremendously in helping him keep a tooth that has gotten infected a couple of times.
I’ve had swollen lymph nodes in several places and was told it was just from past infections, not to be concerned because they might not ever go back to their regular size. I also have had my gallbladder removed, and this is something that I would not have done, but would have changed my diet and lifestyle to keep it. My digestive system has been permanently damaged from this decision.
I now understand that God has a purpose for everything he has put in our bodies, and we should not remove them without seriously considering the options and consequences. It sounds like you are weighing all the options, which is a good thing to do. I’ll pray for your child and that you make the right decision.
KerryAnn says
It is quite possible to test as negative for allergy and still be allergic. Personally, I did not test positive for several things, yet I was still clearly allergic to them and had to eliminate them from my diet to heal. There are four types of allergies, IgA, IgE, IgG and IgM. It’s quite likely that the tests you had done were only for one of the four.
If he’s allergic to that many things, I’d suggest that he’s also likely got a dairy problem, since gut damage wipes out the body’s ability to digest it well, even though he might not be allergic to it, per se. Also, his body may be mistaking the dairy molecule for gluten, which is a very common thing to happen.
Mindy M says
It sounds like your son is having a problem in his body and the question would be – would cutting out the tonsils take care his overall problem?
Our family has seen success eating a real food diet plus using herbal remidies. When a child is at home they have built up immunity to their enviroment, but when they are in a room full of kids the germs spread. Other factors include -stress, lack of sleep, dehydration – the body has to build up a stronger immune system to cope. My son went to school for the first time this year. He said he spent the year tired, hungry, and thirsty. He caught a couple colds that were going around but we jumped on them quickly to knock them out.
Ear/throat problems are difficult because the infection can hide in the ear and become a problem whenever the defense is down.
ValerieH says
Wow! you are doing everything right! it must be very difficult to see him suffer when you are working so hard to provide the nutrition your family needs. So much analysis, so many questions. I have been there!
I trust that this is for a higher purpose and you will find the solutions. While you are searching, consider looking into Emotional Freedom Technique for yourself and for him. It will allow you to relieve some stress and “get yourself out of the way”. The body is designed to be self-healing. You can learn it online. There are many websites and youtube videos that will teach it. It works on emotions and physical problems. It is completely non-invasive. This is the main site. It has many success stories. https://www.eftuniverse.com/
Blessings
KerryAnn says
Swollen tonsils are a symptom, not the root problem. It’s like sitting in a burning building and turning off the fire alarm because you don’t want to hear it ring. The tonsil are the fire alarm, not the fire.
The tonsils are part of your immune system. They aren’t useless or pointless. They are your body’s first line of defense for what is coming in via your mouth.
I had huge, horrifically swollen tonsils and adenoids and repeat ear infections to the point of hearing loss as a child. My mom, for some reason, refused to let the doc cut them out.
It continued into adulthood. Then I eliminated my food allergens, gluten, dairy and soy, and within two weeks they were all a normal size. And no more ear infections. Now they only get big if I get exposed to gluten accidentally, as all of my other food allergies have healed.
If you wish to add kefir, add water kefir. Take him off of dairy, it is by far the most common allergen for ear infection and/or tonsil problems.
Ann Marie @ CHEESESLAVE says
What a powerful story, KerryAnn!
I am just seeing this post, but I want to say that I completely agree that you have to eliminate ALL food allergens in order to fully heal.
It’s hard to do the elimination diet (a la GAPS intro diet) but it’s not for very long! And this is really the only way to find out what you are allergic to. Dr. Campbell-McBride says that there are NO reliable allergy tests out there. She says the only way to find out what you are intolerant to is to cut it all out, then slowly reintroduce foods one by one.
We also need to remember that as long as the gut is damaged, we can’t absorb the nutrients we are consuming. So it doesn’t matter how much cod liver oil you take — you won’t absorb it. It’s like throwing money away.
And as long as we keep eating allergens we can’t digest (due to the damaged gut), we keep re-damaging the gut. A vicious cycle!
So the only real answer is to do GAPS, at least for a month or so, and see what the allergies are. And if there are any allergies or food intolerances, the focus then is on healing the gut. We have to then implement the healing elements of GAPS: continue to avoid the allergens, daily bone broth (ideally with every meal), lots of fermented foods and therapeutic grade probiotics, plus good fats.
Amber says
Hmm… well I think everyone else has more than adequately covered possible dietary solutions far better than I would have been able to do (although my bet is on Candida as well) so I’ll just share my story as a kid. I had constant tonsillitis and ear infections from the time I was a baby through to well into my teenage years. I did end up with tubes in my ears for a couple of years when I was a toddler and that seemed to alleviate the ear problems. But the tonsils continued to be pesky. I remember the doctor wanted them to be removed “or else” I would have these problems all my life, but my parents adamantly refused. Their philosophy was that God put them there for a reason, and why would we consider ourselves to be smarter than He is and remove them? And by the time I was 11 or 12 the infections lessened a great deal and were gone entirely by the time I was 14. So it definitely worked out. Now I’m kinda proud of the fact that I have my tonsils when almost all my age group don’t have them.
That said, while in general I’m opposed to unnecessary surgery, based on my research tonsils are not something I have strong feelings about. Personally I would take my parents approach and not remove them, HOWEVER I don’t think you are jeopardizing your son’s life/health in any way by having them removed either. It sounds like your husband is adamant about it, and sometimes certain compromises have to be made for the peace of marriage and family. The good news is your diet is so good that I think he will recover from this very quickly 🙂
Amanda says
I just wanted to chime in with the thought that it may be precisely because Micah is getting such a healthy diet that his body is able to do all this unpleasant but necessary house cleaning.
Another possible angle to consider would be going on a severely low carb diet for a while. Since all carbs feed pathogenic microbes, the current proportions in his diets might be keeping his system from balancing out well. Bee Wilder has a helpful low carb foods list on her site: https://www.healingnaturallybybee.com/articles/heal13.php
We’ve been doing the low-carb/high healthy fat thing at our house for the last ten months and have seen dramatic improvements in so many areas! The healing reactions and blood sugar regulation process made for a rough start the first few months, but my entire family of eight has benefited.
Amy says
I am a no-body 🙂 but I would agree with adding kefir to the diet on a daily basis. I would also look into the allergy desensitation idea or have a biomeridian done on him. Also, I would like to suggest the GAPS idea of adding bone broth to the diet. I have loved the results of the bone broth on my own health. And, let him play in the sun for Vit D! Good luck and let us know! If your friend hasn’t read Gut and Psychology Syndrome, it’s a must-read!
Becky D says
Hi There! Micah’s Mom here.
Thank you all so much for all of the great info already! Several of you I want to reply to individually, but since many are suggesting some of the same things, I thought I should give you a bit more background info…
He has been tested for food allergies and intolerances. Gluten-free is just the beginning. 🙂 We also eat corn, soy, refined-sugar free. We are not No-grain, but we are low-grain. I use mostly almond & coconut flours, along with some oat flour, quinoa, and buckwheat. (soaked) We basically don’t eat processed foods except for some canned tomatoes and occasional rice pasta. Oh, and Mary’s Gone Crackers. He didn’t test intolerant to dairy (or nuts), and I’m very careful about the dairy that he does eat, but maybe I should try going dairy-free.
Along with a conventional Dr. we are under the care of a Bio-energetic Practitioner, who uses homeopathic remedies. She has treated Micah for a major yeast infection, along with the other issues he has.
Micah never had an earache or sore throat until he went to school. I’m pretty sure he isn’t getting food at school that he shouldn’t because I work closely with his teacher, and have had her keep a supply of special treats for him for when there are treats in the classroom. She has told me that he is very good about not eating other foods, and if offered something will say No Thank You. I also pack his lunch every day. (I’m ready to be done with that for the summer!)
The most frustrating thing is that I am so vigilant, and he eats 100% healthier than any other kids he knows, and yet he is the one who is always sick. How can this be?
allison burgueno says
Hi Becky,
I grew up with issues much like your son’s – ear infections, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes.. I had my adenoids out when I was very young, but it didn’t do very much to stop my issues. As it turns out I had very bad allergy to mould and mildew among others like grass, tree and weed pollens. The post nasal drip would be so constant and horrible, exacerbated by non-fermented dairy, and some household allergens that I was miserable.
It wasn’t until I ceased all dairy, started taking natural antifungals, and homeopathic allergy meds that I started feeling better.
There was noting wrong with my tonsils or my lymph – my body couldn’t fight the onslaught of allergens. I could breath just fine but the amount of mucous produced by my body was crazy.
Finally, I moved to a dryer climate and I feel better…
My thought on the school is that your son is exposed to things that he wasn’t at home, things in the air, on the carpet, on the playground,etc. His body is learning to defend itself. The infections are painful, but taking antibiotics aren’t always a good bet.
Sometimes we have to alleviate the pain, keep them home for a while, let the fever do its work and he’ll be stronger for it.
Hopefully there isn’t anything underlying, but having gone through it as a child/teenager I know that it does eventually get better.
BTW – my sister did have her tonsils out and it didn’t make her any healthier. My brothers have their tonsils and adenoids and still have allergy issues – but i believe that is because they live in GA and deal with an onslaught of weather that i don’t have to here in CA).
My cousin, who lives in Texas, was eating quite a bit of dairy – all fermented – and had pneumonia 3 times in one year, she lives in Houston, after quitting all dairy she’s been healthy.
Best of luck to you!
Becky D says
Allison – very very interesting that you should mention your allergies to molds. With the most recent allergy testing, we discovered that he is highly allergic to several different molds and weeds. No grasses, and only one type of tree, but the molds panel came back as HUGE for his allergies. His school building is old, and I am thinking that there may be mold issues. But – I didn’t tie those allergies in with ear infections, etc…so thank you for sharing your experience. You’ve given me more to think about and work with!
allison burgueno says
So glad that I could turn that light on.
I want to expand a little to let you know how bad the mould allergy can be…
When I was in my early 20s I returned to ATL from living around the USA for a while, and as in does when they are single, I was playing golf – a favorite – daily…they water golf courses a bunch and this course was low lying – near some water system…I was getting the roaring daily migraine-like headaches. We tried and tried to figure out what was wrong…I even had to endure a CAT Scan…
Eventually, when they figured out I didn’t have a tumor nor migraines, they ran an allergy panel again and there it was a huge mould allergy again.
They are definitely tied. Mucous is our body’s way of flushing out junk and fighting infection…https://www.ehow.com/how-does_4586972_why-mucus-produced-have-cold.html
the little link above may explain why these infections are happening.
I’m living proof that your nose doesn’t have to be runny and draining down your nostrils to have an infection – the PND is a silent and often very annoying enemy.
I hope your little one feels better soon.
Jill says
Just wanted to say these are really good thoughts! It will be interesting to see if being out of school (as in not in the school environment) helps him out over the summer! Gosh, maybe this could be a call to homeschooling! 🙂
Becky D says
Jill – I have commented many times that he seems to be better when he’s not in school. This all started last year in Kindergarten – he was sick most of the year. Then, he seemed to do fine over the summer, and he went back to school, and it started in again. Then, he was home for Christmas break, and seemed to be doing better, and now, we’ve been battling it again since mid-January.
I would LOVE to homeschool. Just need to convince my husband!
Jill says
Wowie, wow, wow! How interesting about his symptoms coinciding so strongly with being IN school (as in the building). We have homeschooled for 10 years now and it has worked well for us, but in the beginning I was nervous and it was me who needed convincing! My daughter is attending Baylor University in the fall and was awarded most of her tuition in academic scholarships, so I can tell you first hand that if college is a concern, it’s no problem (she was accepted with scholarship to other colleges as well). I know it’s totally off topic, but there is a ton of great info online about homeschooling. There might also be a local homeschool group where you live that you can gather information and support from as well. I’ll pray for unmistakable leading for you in the area of your son’s health AND in schooling! Blessings to you!
Barbara Grant says
I had a swollen gland in my neck for years. The doctor said it was of no concern. I have been eating much better for about 4 years. Just now tried to find the gland, and it is gone!
Kate @ Modern Alternative Mama says
Take him to a naturopath. Maybe he has an undiscovered grain or dairy allergy (gluten-free is not always enough). His body is fighting something off and not doing it well. Does he need more CLO? Hopefully a qualified naturopath would be able to figure out what is really going on and recommend a treatment to help him, it is so individual. (My husband had this as a kid due to multiple food allergies, but his parents didn’t know and he had the surgery. Now we ALL know and have ALL changed our lifestyle.)
Susan W says
oops forgot to add to have him checked for hypothyroidism. In children underactive thyroid doesn’t always present the same way as in adult and hypothyroid children tend to have lots of ear infections, tonsillitis etc.
Susan
Jen says
I think the first priority is to get rid of the infection to get the family off her back. The second priority is to make the changes to prevent it from happening again. I highly recommend finding a good herbalist in your area and ask to be seen ASAP. A good herbalist is usually booked up a month or so out but if you tell them you are trying to avoid surgery they will usually get you in right away. So how do you find a good herbalist? Visit one or two of your local health food stores and ask them for a recommendation. If you ask multiple people, chances are you’ll hear someone’s name repeated along with several “miracle” stories about that herbalists patients. That’s the one to call. Herbalists care very powerful and pure herbal extracts that you can’t buy in the store that are highly effective. A good one can look at the tongue, eyes and pulses to get insight into the underlying issue. Good luck!
Kitty says
Growing up, my daughter had numerous sore throats, strep throat, ear infections. Every dr wanted to remove tonsils. I refused for several reasons, but mostly because I didn’t want her to risk surgery and I still have my tonsils, and my gut told me that she would outgrow this. We used a lot of probiotics and natural throat remedies, occasional antibiotics always followed with probiotics. As long as the episode was short lived and manageable, I felt like I was doing the right thing. She had a few bouts throughout college, and then by graduate school it was clearly over. She is now 32 and has not had an episode since college — and she’s very glad she still has her tonsils! Good luck with your son, it sounds like you are doing the right thing. Husbands are not always on the same page, mine wasn’t, but I stood my ground. You, as his mother have to do what you feel is right.
Monique says
So sorry to hear about your little guy not feeling well. My firstborn son also suffered from chronic ear/nose/throat problems. Our pediatrician recommended surgery but I held out and began to change his diet and the problems all went away. I was so happy with my decision to not go ahead with the common fix. You mentioned that your child’s symptoms increased with his going to school, this could be because he is eating unhealthy food at school. Even a small amount of treats, candy passed along from friends/classmates could have an adverse affect on his health. One more thing, for the last two years I suffered from chronic ear problems – out of nowhere. I did two things – started taking lypospheric Vit. C every day and stopped eating wheat. I tell you within days my ear problem cleared up and is not a thing of the past. My ENT said the next move was tubes in my ears, crazy huh. I am a 42 year old with no past history, but the common fix is surgery. Pray to the Lord for your husband to have a change of heart – perhaps let him read all these posts =) Blessings to you Becky.
Melissa Boersma says
With a background as an RN but someone who aims to eat healthy, I can see both sides of this. Personally, I would thing food allergy testing and the Candida makes sense to check out before opting with surgery. ESPECIALLY since it says these problems arose after starting school.
In the case of our son, he had problems like these for several years. My husband has a lot of ear issues and our son’s problem seemed to be a structural problem (the way his eustacian tubes were, they just were not able to drain – and therefore tubes were the best option). He had them put in the first time at age 2 after 10 ear infections. To me, that was a better decision than constantly needing antibiotics to clear them up. He never had an ear infection again until he was 5. He had swollen lymph nodes as well, but also had enlarged tonsils from age 3-6 that began causing sleep apnea and teeth-grinding as a result. Our Dr waited for a year before we were comfortable and ready for it and when there was just no improvement in his condition. We had found he was sensitive to wheat/gluten and had cut that out of his diet with good improvements in other areas except for his tonsil problem. He has been so healthy since having his tonsils and adenoids removed, where previously he was the one of our 3 kids that would generally get sick more often.
SOOO, after saying all of that, if this were my kid i would probably do the food allergy/intolerance testing (Have them text both IgE and IgG reactions) and see what that shows. Had this been going on for years I would probably opt to just get them out, but since it seems relatively new, it may be “fixable” without surgery!
Blessings!
Erin C says
I also have a swollen lymph node in my neck for over a year now (since I had a really little cold or something in Jan. 2010). My doctor didn’t seem too concerned either. She couldn’t find anything else that was swollen and my blood numbers were all normal. I was concerned because my Grandmother has leukemia, and that fact seemed to bother my doctor as well. However, she let me go after my test results came back and said, “Just let me know if anything changes, like if you start having night sweats or fatigue.”
Sharon says
Taking my children to the chiropractor has done wonders for my children.
Jill says
Even though his diet is great, I wonder if moving it to a “therapeutic” level to help starve out the infection even more might be in order. Something along the lines of GAPS–eliminating grains and starches all together–in addition to eliminating sugars. Oregano oil is also effective in combating infections. And I wonder if an herbal supplement aimed at boosting the immune system (such as Wellness Formula by Source Naturals) might help provide an edge as well. Sleep is so important in fighting infections, but of course the sleep apnea is not very helpful there! Does he sleep better propped up? Even though he is getting older, maybe a nap in the afternoon could help make up for any lack during the night. Vitamin D was mentioned earlier–sunshine is always helpful in that regard too–vitamin C is always in order when the body is under stress like that as well. If I have any other thoughts I’ll add them! God bless this mother for rolling up her sleeves and searching for answers!
Soli @ I Believe In Butter says
I’ll throw in my own experience from childhood. I had a lot of strep (and yeah, antibiotics, but I won’t demonize it since I didn’t know better and neither did my mother) and had my tonsils removed when I was 10. STILL got sinus and throat infections, so it didn’t help any. Becky, did your husband and his family still get infections after they had their tonsillectomies? If so, there’s a reason not to do it. Why put your body through surgery if it’s not going to help?
(obvious disclaimers as I am not a medical professional.)
Kaye says
Interestingly I developed a really bad sore throat on holiday last week, first one in some 30 yrs and had to visit a Doctor for the first time, again in some 20 years. He immediately gave me antibiotic. I had been up all night in pain the night before almost in tears, and thought if I was to have another night like that I would weaken and take it. Turned out I managed without it so did not have to take it.
Peni Rae mentioned Candida. My now 6 months of kefir making with raw milk has produced a dramatic change with my Candida in so many areas. Alongside the traditional diet maybe introduce some fermented foods.
Also if only we all had access to more naturalistic doctors. I was on a healing workshop with a wonderful paediatrician who she said if she had to give a child antibiotics she would offer the list up and test each child’s energy to see which one it preferred. Love it!
And well done you for joining the list of Mom’s leading the way towards a new healthy paradigm. It’s almost as if these new children and their issues have come especially with a mission to help us to find/remember the old traditional ways of health and eating.
Hoping all goes well
Kaye
Susan W says
it sounds like Becky is doing everything right.
I would recommend making sure her son’s vitamin D level was/is in the optimal range. A simple blood test will tell. Even with taking the cod liver oil he may still be too low and that in turn will cause an increase in viral and bacterial infections. If you don’t test, you don’t know.
If his vit D 25-oh level is in the optimal range (between 60 and 100) If it weren’t for the sleep apnea I don’t think it would be unreasonable to give it another year and see if he “outgrows” all these infections.
In light of their healthy diet the only other think that leaps to mind (at 2:30 am) is too add some supplements in hopes of decreasing inflammation and in doing so shrink those tonsils. I’ll try to post more about that later.
the other thing I would recommend is testing for food allergies. It wouldn’t be unusual for food allergies to present this way. Even though he is already gluten free he might have other food allergies or sensitivities which are presenting this way. As much as I’m a raw milk addict, until he gets tested you might want to go a trial of dairy free eating for a few weeks and see how he responds.
If this was just a case of the chronic ear infections and not the sleep apnea I would recommend giving it more time. There are always risks with surgery and anaesthesia so I wouldn’t rush into surgery that might not be necessary.
you might also want to do some research on silver sol. I just listened to a medical lecture on silver sol and you can use it orally to help boost the immune system as well as to treat infections. Due to the type of silver solution it is, it can’t result in a build up of silver in the system so no “blue man” results.
Good luck!
Susan
Peni Rae, NE says
Hi Kelly and Becky,
All of these symptoms are associated with an overgrowth of Candida. I love that the family eats clean, I would also suggest something to kill the Candida like Pau d’ Arco. There are many different herbs that can get rid of it and a few different kids formulas. You can find them at the health food store including Whole Foods or you can work with a naturopath, a nutritionist, or other holistic healer. It’s great he’s already taking a probiotic, just make sure it’s a therapeutic dose.
I’ve seen this lots of times and it’s such a simple fix, it makes me angry to hear about doctors recommending surgery all the time. Same goes with tubes in the ears.
Hope this helps!
All the best,
Peni
Raine Saunders says
All I have to say about this (right now, anyway, because it’s super late and I need to go to bed immediately..but tomorrow I might think of something else) is that this is not much different from all the gallbladders that doctors are harvesting from people…and appendix too. And so much of it is because of the toxic lifestyles people lead. People put junk in their bodies, then they need medication/procedures/surgery to fix the problems caused by those substances. It’s a vicious cycle that repeats itself. I had many, many sore throats when I was a kid, but my doctor actually told my mom that I should try to keep my tonsils and adenoids because they helped to fight infection. Isn’t that bizarre? Of course, he never told my mom to feed me better. My mom did feed me much better compared to what some kids were eating…but somehow it didn’t save me from having my appendix and gallbladder removed later in life. Lessons are difficult sometimes, aren’t they? Good post, Kelly! I hope this is useful for people who are contemplating this for themselves and their children.
Lily says
I’m 11 and have a bad sore throat and a bump on the back of my neck. My mom keeps telling me I should have my tonsils removed, but I’m scared.HeLp Me!!!
KitchenKop says
Lily, just have your Mom read this post over, along with the comments, and then I know she’ll make the best decision that’s right for you. 🙂
Kelly