Tonsillectomy Recovery

Ways to Make Tonsillectomy Recovery Less Scary for Your Child

Having one’s tonsils removed can be a very scary event for a child, despite the ice cream they are promised during the tonsillectomy recovery. Recovery can be quite painful, the medication may make them feel funny, and few children enjoy being in the sterile environment of a hospital. If your child is about to have their tonsils removed, one of your jobs as a parent is to make the tonsillectomy recovery as calm and soothing as possible.

Talk Beforehand

Some parents tend to keep their children in a protective cocoon and will not inform their child of the upcoming procedure; this is not wise. Sit down with your child and explain that the doctor needs to go in their throat to make them better. You can use this time to prepare them for what will happen and what the hospital will be like. Most importantly, you can also tell them about how much better they will feel after their tonsillectomy recovery is complete. This is also a good time to mention the ice cream and slushies—a rite of passage for any tonsillectomy patient.

The important thing is to not lie to your child. Saying “Oh it won’t hurt a bit” is going to cost you a lot of respect and trust in your child. Choose instead to say that it might hurt a little bit, but the doctors can give medicine to make it better. Also explain how much healthier they will be afterwards.

Physical Comfort

Despite the fact that tonsillectomies are generally outpatient procedures now, your child is still undergoing a significant trauma. You need to be there to offer support, both emotionally and physically. Cuddle your child and stroke their forehead. If they are young enough you can offer to kiss the “owwies” away. It may not seem like much, but these simple acts can go a long way to giving your child reassurance through their tonsillectomy recovery.

This is particularly important in the recovery room. Your child may have a reaction when coming out of anesthesia and, in some cases, this can be very scary. They may scream and howl and kick or vomit. It’s not their fault. The anesthesiologist is well aware of these reactions and can provide good advice as to how to help alleviate them as well.

Toys

Since you will not be present during the tonsillectomy, you need to find someone who can be--namely a toy. Depending on your hospital, the nurses will often times give your little one a teddy bear that is dressed up like a doctor, nurse, or patient. Don’t count on this, however, and be sure to call them to find out if they do or if you can bring one of your child’s stuffed animals in to keep him company while he’s in the operation and in recovery. They may have certain rules or they may allow you to bring in a brand new toy of your own for your child. Waking up to a friendly, furry face is a good way to start the tonsillectomy recovery process off on the right foot.

Make Recovery at Home Fun

Your child will likely have a 10 – 14 day tonsillectomy recovery. During this time he or she will need to slowly be introduced back to normal solid food, and will experience a fair amount of pain. Their energy levels won’t be high, and they may become sullen and cranky. You can take advantage of all of these and make the process fun for your child.

Have your child stay in bed the first few days, but make a special treat out of it. Bring a television into your child’s room and rent a number of appropriate movies or video games they would love. You could also choose to go to the library or comic book store and fill up on reading materials.

If your child is under the age of 10, they might find turning their room into their own personal recovery room or luxurious penthouse a fun way to spend their recovery. Bring in extra pillows, a bell for them to ring when they want you, and other such items. You may even want to go as far as to serve them drinks on a platter. There is no reason you can’t turn such a scary time into a warm and silly memory for years to come.