Tonsillectomies are common ENT procedures, with over 500,000 performed annually on children in the United States. The quick procedure offers better sleep quality, fewer tonsil infections and more. If your child is about to have a tonsillectomy, let’s take a look at a few things you can expect during their recovery.
The Length and Pattern of Tonsillectomy Recovery
Most children take eight to nine days to recover fully from a tonsillectomy. During that time, they may not feel better each day. They will likely have a slight fever, and their discomfort will ebb and flow. Patients usually feel the most throat pain at night and early in the morning. Some ear pain is also normal for the first six or so days. By day nine, they should feel little to no pain and be back to their happy selves.
They will likely have slightly bloody saliva during the first week, but anything past that requires immediate attention. If you notice heavy bleeding, call us immediately and have them spit blood out to avoid excess swallowing.
Diet During Recovery
Certain foods may cause pain during recovery. Grabbing a few special things from Coppell Market Center will help ease any throat discomfort while eating.
Avoid citrus fruits and anything crunchy, such as cereal, granola bars, chips or raw vegetables and fruits. They may only wish to eat liquid foods such as yogurt, soup, applesauce, ice cream and pudding. Softer foods like very well-cooked pasta are okay if they can tolerate the texture. Encourage them to drink as much water or apple juice as possible and supplement with protein shakes or smoothies if you’re worried that they’re not eating enough.
Managing Their Pain
Your child will likely need pain medication throughout their recovery. Follow the directions on their medication prescription. If they’re not in much pain, you can switch to an ENT-approved over-the-counter option.
Resting
Your child might get antsy to run around after a few days of resting, but it’s important not to let them over-exert themselves. Walking is fine, but limit more energetic physical activities until your ENT specialist lets you know it’s okay.
Their Follow-up Appointment
We’ll schedule a follow-up appointment after the nine-day recovery period to check their progress and give them the all-clear for different foods or physical activity.
If you have any other questions about your child’s tonsillectomy, reach out to our experts at ENT for Children.