Does your child have large tonsils and adenoids and have a history of mouth breathing, snoring, gasping, or pausing in their sleep? In that case, a child ENT specialist in Singapore may recommend that your child undergo a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy to resolve these issues and prevent further health complications in the future. These procedures may also be advised to prevent strep throat if your child is susceptible to the disease.
The surgery is performed under general anaesthesia and typically lasts about 30 to 40 minutes, meaning your child will be asleep the whole time and will not feel any pain. Afterwards, they can be discharged once the anaesthesia wears off. While the doctor will prescribe the appropriate pain medications, you can also heed our aftercare recovery tips to help your child recover properly from the procedure and ease their pain.
It is common for your child to have a temporary sore throat after getting their tonsils or adenoids removed. The discomfort is often most severe in the first week after surgery and will usually dissipate after two to three weeks.
Sometimes, the pain may get worse before it gets well. So, it is essential for your child to take their pain medications as prescribed by the doctor during this period. That will help ease the pain, help them swallow, and enable them to eat and drink enough to stay hydrated and nourished.
If your child’s pain is not controlled with the medicines prescribed and they require additional pain relief, consult paediatric ENT specialist who may recommend other suitable medications for pain control.
During the first few weeks after surgery, your child may refuse to eat or drink due to the pain. However, this can lead to dehydration and a trip to the hospital. To encourage them to stay hydrated, we recommend providing your child with cold milk, juice, or water. The colder the liquid, the better for managing their post-surgery discomfort. Meanwhile, avoid hot liquids as they can worsen the throat swelling and pain.
As your child is recovering from their throat surgery, it is best to avoid any strenuous exercise, such as jumping, running, swimming, or playing sports, until their throat is fully healed. That is because any activity that elevates your child’s heart rate or blood pressure can increase their risk of bleeding.
When this occurs, an ENT surgeon may need to perform another surgery to stop the bleeding. If you notice your child bleeding from the mouth, nose, or throat, visit your local emergency room for evaluation immediately.
While there are no restrictions on what your child can eat, you may want to provide them with soft foods that are easy to swallow until their throat is fully healed. Foods such as pudding, ice cream, milkshakes, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, yoghurt, noodles, and soup are excellent choices. No doubt your child will be delighted at some of these choices. However, moderation is key.
If you plan to give your child a noodle or soup dish, please cool the food down first. Likewise, your child should temporarily avoid sour, salty, spicy, or hard foods as they are more challenging to swallow and may cause pain and discomfort to their throat. You can resume solid foods once your child’s throat is healed and their appetite improves.
As your child recuperates from their surgery, you should monitor them for any issues that might occur during their recovery. If your child displays any of the following signs, consult a paediatric ENT specialist or visit the nearest hospital emergency department:
Does your child have recurrent strep throat or snore loudly and frequently in their sleep? In that case, it is best to speak with our paediatric ENT specialist about the situation. Dr Yong can evaluate your child and recommend suitable treatment options, including a tonsillectomy or adenoidectomy if necessary. Contact our ENT specialist clinic to schedule an ENT consultation with our doctor today!
