Is this an issue? Back at the start of July, DS2 had a round of antibiotics for a mild ear infection and at the time the Dr also noticed that his tonsils were huge and very red, but uninfected, so no pus or anything. I noticed tonight that they are still huge - his throat opening is only the size of a 10cent piece they are that large. I know they don't like to take them out these days like they used to, but is having them so large, and a throat opening so small ever going to be an issue for him?
it is only an issue if it interferes with his respiratory ability. is he a snorer? mine were removed at age 4 because they were too large and it did interfere with my breathing. but if he has no side effects, it isn't an issue. if you're concerned though, chat to your doc...
Does he open mouth breath or snore? If so, they'd possibly be better removed. This means they are causing trouble.
DD1 went in to have her grommits done & I had them look at her tonsils too as a gp had mentioned they were big. The ENT decided since she'd always been a loud open mouth breather & snored it'd be better to do it while doing the grommits. He also did the adenoids too. He had no medical reason at the time, but when they came out they were also enlarged - he said very enlarged, so it was worth having them out in the end.
DD1 also had more than 6 sore throats (not tonsillitis) a year, so that helped with our decision.
Just coming online to research the same thing in myself....
You can have "tosilitis" without them being pussy. If they are enlarged and red like irritated and inflamed it is still tonsilitis.
As the others have said, they prefer not to remove them unless they are causing breathing difficulites or there is excessive infections.
The other girls are right. If they were huge and red before, he probably had a mild tonsilitis, on top of what are naturally large tonsils.
Unless he has so many infections that it is affecting his growth or development, or he develops sleep apnoea, then it is safest to leave them be. A generation ago we used to take out a lot of tonsils, but the operation is not without it's risks, bleeding being the main one, and I have not long ago looked after a child that ended up in hospital for a week after a post-tonsillectomy bleed, and they nearly bled to death. So the practice now is to leave them alone unless there are clear reasons to take them out.
Enlarged, but uninfected tonsils
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