Tonsillitis?

Updated on August 29, 2008
H.M. asks from Mansfield, TX
8 answers

My 7 yr old get white spots on his tonsils often. Sometimes with a fever. When he's been in the Dr. they do a strep test which often comes back negative. He had also had blood work for mono, they said there were traces in his blood that would indicated maybe being positive for mono. This was at the end of last school year. He's been back and put on antibiotics a couple of times since. He was sent home today with a fever and again the white spots are back. We'll get him into the dr. again tomorrow. My question is, is it time to get his tonsils out? Or are there other options? I hate seeing him sick all the time and in pain, not being able to eat and having those horrible spots on his tonsils.

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C.C.

answers from Dallas on

Wow! I went through a similar scenario with my 9 year old daughter. It started when she was 7. Although usually she did have strep, but then it wound up infecting her tonsils and she would get the spots, really bad fevers, etc. And last summer, during another bout of tonsillitis, the doctor said she had mono. He didn't do bloodwork because he said it is often inconclusive, but it was because her spleen was enlarged which is a sure symptom of mono. Then no sooner did school start then she was sick again with tonsillitis! At that point I asked her pediatrician if perhaps it was time to go to an ENT, and she didn't think so! And I guaranteed her that my daughter would be back in 6-8 weeks because that was how often she was getting sick. Well, it was only 5 weeks and I said "that's it" and took her to an ENT. She got her tonsils and adenoids out in November and has been so much healthier since. (The adenoids were removed because they were enlarged and between them and the tonsils my daughter was snoring and not breathing properly during sleep.) She actually had strep last December (you can still get strep w/o tonsils) but it was barely anything . . . minor pain, no fever. I was actually surprised, but then excited to know that a bout of strep was no longer going to make her so sick.

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S.

answers from Dallas on

I think it's time to go see an Ear Nose & Throat specialist. White spots and high fever sounds a lot like strep. I once had strep 12 times in 14 months; actually what happened is that I had it once and it never went away, because the doctor kept misdiagnosing it. The doctor was swabbing the throat wrong or something. Thankfully an associate suggested that I see an ENT. The ENT immediately saw strep covering my esophagus. In 3 days I was 80% better. Or it could be tonsillitis. My experience with my twin 5 yr old girls was that the pediatrician would typically take a strep test, and if that was negative, then everything was just a virus. One twin kept having higher and higher fevers. Finally I took her to an ENT and he put her in the hospital. Within a few days we discovered the problem, took out the tonsils & adenoids and she has hardly been sick since. I highly recommend Dr. Timothy Trone at Medical City. Good luck.

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T.W.

answers from McAllen on

Hi H., I think I'd consider going to see an ENT. Recurrent throat infections and untreated infections can run into other worse things. I wouldn't definitely go see a specialist. Hope he gets better soon, I know it's miserable.

T.

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P.B.

answers from Tyler on

If it is a constant problem, I'd ask the Doctor if you can go ahead and get them out. It's better to do it at this age than older when it can be a real problem.

Also, ask his teacher if he can bring his own water in a sports bottle from home (NO public water fountains -- some kids are more sensitive to germs on them).

I hope it helps. :o)

Blessings,

P. <><

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C.H.

answers from Dallas on

need to try an ENT. maybe adinoids.

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H.G.

answers from Dallas on

I used to get the exact same thing. I had my tonsils removed, and it was the best thing I ever did. I am rarely sick. I completely attribute that to the tonsilectomy. The recovery was hard (but I was 18) A seven year old should do just fine.

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S.C.

answers from Dallas on

I took one of my kids in for that a lot when she was young, thinking it was a guaranteed sign of strep. Sometimes it was positive, but many times, no. That was up until I took her to an ear, nose and throat specialist for something else and asked him about it - since the spots were there again. He said that a lot of people, including generalist doctors make that mistake of thinking it's strep. He said that in her case, it was little pockets in the tissue that collected kind of gunk from her mouth and told her how to pick it out or to use a toothbrush to get it out. She was understandably really grossed out about it, but at least I knew she wasn't having chronic strep and we got down to almost no anti-biotic use.

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B.T.

answers from Tyler on

Sorry to hear about ur child. Do not be afraid, but if you are it is natural. My daughter is about to have her tonsills removed on the 22nd of September. Me on the other hand, I had, had the same problems growing up as your child and it was not til I was 24 that I had to go in and have mine removed, and boy was it painful....Of course back then the technology was not as advanced as it is today. I lost 30 lbs in 1 month. It is harder on an adult than a child. The adverage time out of school is about 1 week, but for the second week @ school their should be no physical playing. My son had to have tubes put in his ears for the 3rd time when he was 2 and I asked our ENT(Ear, Nose & Throat Dr.) if he would go ahead and take his out since I had, had it so bad. If you are not careful the inflamation could lead to more serious problems, i.e. Pedi Sleep Apnea, Restricted Air Flow..My Son went through it with a breeze, but for his sake of pain. The longer you wait, the more pain he will experience. I will pray that God will give you peace about it. May God Bless and I hope I have shown some light on your problem~Take Care B.

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