Are Her Adenoids the Problem?

Updated on March 11, 2011
D.K. asks from Clinton Township, MI
10 answers

It seems like my (almost 4y/o) DD is always sick. She is in her first year of preschool so I know she is exposed to new/different germs constantly, but this is getting really old and I'm starting to wonder if it's something else.
She got her first ear infection @ 3 and they were constant until she got ____@____.com ENT never mentioned problems with her tonsils or adenoids.
She just sounds 'stuffy' all the time and it seems worse at night.
She snores horribly and will just yell out something random/scream in the middle of the night (every night). All of this obviously disturbes her sleep because she drags during the day, but REFUSES to take a nap.
On top of everything her attitude royally STINKS! I know her age doesn't help, but she is just so negative and mean while at home. I'm thinking (or hoping rather) that it is due to her disruption of sleep.
Any ideas????

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N.S.

answers from Detroit on

I could be totally wrong, but my daughter is going through many of the same symptoms, and behaviors. She's 3.5. She was extremely stuffy for weeks, and then finally got a fever that helped clear it up a bit. She's still stuffy, but not as bad. I think it'll just clear up when the weather warms up. Although, this happened last year also, so I'm basing her getting better on that.
She does not snore, but for quite some time was yelling out in the middle of the night.
Best of luck.

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C.J.

answers from Lansing on

Good Morning D.,

I second MommyCakes, try taking her off foods that are commonly known to trigger allergies. First try milk and keep her off the milk for at least a week and see what happens. If nothing, then I would suggest you try taking her off all wheat products.

The reason I suggest this course, when I was a little girl I was always sick with strep throat and tonsillitis. Every winter I got sick and didn't get better until spring. I was on a constant round of antibiotics for at least 4 winters in a row. Finally my tonsils were removed when I was 9 years old and miraculously I was all better.

What the doctors didn't know was I have multiple food intolerances that were making me sick and my tonsils were just the most obvious symptom. I developed multiple indoor/outdoor allergies because my body couldn't figure out what was bad for me and what wasn't. Eventually I developed asthma that is triggered by my indoor/outdoor allergies.

I have since taken myself off wheat, corn, and most milk products and I feel a lot better. When I do get sick, I'm not sick for long and it doesn't trigger my asthma like it used to.

I'm not saying your daughter will go down this path. Each person is very different. But, your daughter's tonsils and adenoids are reacting to something. It is in her best interest to find out what is making them swell. Take away that trigger and she'll get better all on her own without surgery.

If you are interested in discovering your daughter's food allergies and intolerances, I suggest calling your health insurance and ask for references to pediatric allergists. Then call those offices and ask them if they test for food intolerances (many offices don't test for these only for food allergies) and how the testing is done.

I hope your daughter starts to feel better soon.

C. J.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.M.

answers from Denver on

Sounds like my daughter - we did have her adenoids and tonsils out and the snoring stopped : ). I'd take her back or to a new ENT. Good luck

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M.W.

answers from Kalamazoo on

They were the problem for my younder son. When ENT put in the 2nd set of tube he checked his adnoids and found they were HUGE and removed them. My son has been fine since, he is now 25 yrs old.

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L.R.

answers from Dallas on

If I were you I would take her back to in ENT and have the Dr take a look at her. Here symptoms sound a lot like sleep apnea. Snoring in a young child is never normal.

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W.M.

answers from Detroit on

I agree with the others who suggest you see the ENT again and/or get a second opinion. My son sounded stuffy, snored and had lots of sleep issues. He also always seemed to be in a bad mood (due to lack of sleep, I'm sure). I finally took him to an ENT who removed his adenoids, which were huge. The change in my son has been remarkable. It's not a given that this is the issue with your daughter, but it's certainly something to look into.

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J.C.

answers from New York on

I agree with the poster who said to get a second opinion. Hope she is better soon. And hang in there - the first year of school is always the worst for illness.

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B.T.

answers from Detroit on

Ask your pediatrician to order a sleep study. They will evaluate for apnea and then ENT can see her.

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

You might try taking her off all dairy and see what happens. I have to think the ENT didn't say anything about that either. VERY often dairy is the culprit causing frequent ear infections ( hence the ear problem and tubes) and upper respiratory issues...sounding stuffed all the time. She might be allergic to dairy. Allergic reactions can be undetectable, especially if the allergin is a constant in the diet, the reaction will be constant too...like sounding stuffy all the time. Instead of having what might LOOK like a reaction like someone whose throat swells and closes, this is a constant annoyance that really isn't presenting itself as a reaction to dairy. Most toddlers do get sick from going to preschool...so may little ones with runny noses etc, but if her system is "arguing" with the dairy, that could be taking her immune system down so she is suseptable to more germs at preschool. Such a circle! Good luck!

H.V.

answers from Cleveland on

I know a lot of mommies are goin to suggest the removal of her adenoids.
Question, does your lil girl drink a lot of milk?

When I was little I had this problem. I could never breath through my nose. it was always stuffy. One ENT told my mom to have my adenoids removed.
My mom wanted a 2nd opinion...so she took me some place else. The doctor asked me "do you drink a lot of milk" Which the answer was YES, .
He said "well stop"
So I stopped drinking milk and I've never had that problem again. And its not that I couldn't drink milk at all..I just needed to give my body a break.
Might be something worth looking in to before deciding to take the surgery route.

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