Tonsillitis and STS - Save Tonsil Society

I feel most of the tonsils are removed unnecessarily. STS stands for "Save Tonsil Society", and the sole pupose of this organization is to save children from undergoing tonsillectomy without any long term benefits.

Many children diagnosed as having enlarged tonsils and advised surgery actually have normal sized tonsils for age. Lymphoid growth peaks at the age of seven years. Tonsils are basically a collection of lymphoid tissue hence their size is maximum between 5 to 8 years of age. Finding 'Strawberry' sized tonsils at seven years is quite normal.

According to Nelson's Textbook of Pediatrics tonsillectomy should only be considered if the child is having recurrent throat infections: seven (or more) in the past year or five (or more) in each of the past two years. However, this is not a hard and fast rule. Many children meeting these criteria who have not had tonsillectomy also have a decline in the number of throat infections and show good physical growth.

There are several other important issues, which must be considered before contemplating the removal of tonsils. What is the severity of illness? How often is the child missing school? Is there any growth failure?

Unless tonsils are causing medical problem there is no need for removal. Before thinking of surgery it must be ascertained that the enlargement of tonsils is of chronic nature because tonsils enlarge in size greatly during an acute episode. They will recede with an appropriate course of antibiotics.

Children with Chronic Tonsillitis have:

· Recurrent or persistent sore throat

· Pain with swallowing

· Obstruction to breathing (breath may be offensive)

· Enlarged glands in the neck. Persistent enlargement of gland just below and slightly in front of angle of the jaw is especially significant.

· Fatigue

· Decreased appetite

· Poor weight gain

· If in addition to tonsils, adenoids are also hypertrophied (enlarged): snoring, mouth breathing, sleep apnea and enuresis (bed wetting) may be seen. Some children lose weight because of increased calories used for breathing.