My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

My sister just called me.

She's been taking my niece, Sienna, to an ENT since the winter beacuse she is constantly sick. For 5 months straight she was on one antibiotic after another for constant ear infections, plus she had a consistent cough that lasted the whole winter.

She is really happy with her ENT, but they said the last time that if she gets another ear infection she has to have her tonsils and adenoids out.

Well, my sister took her for the followup today and she has another double ear infection as well as strep throat. The ENT said that this is it, she needs to have both her tonsils and adenoids out.

I got so sad when my sister called me. I had a student who passed away in September for the same surgery. I know that it is probably a very common surgery but it just really worries me. I feel like she is only 2 and she is too young to have to have surgery.

I told my sister I think she should get a 2nd opinion, and she wanted to know why, and I told her why. I made her really upset. but it's been worrying me so much when she's been telling me about all of the updates for the last few months.

Just please keep my niece in your thoughts and if anyone has any experience with this I am interestd in hearing it since the only experience I have with it was negative.

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

OMG that's terrible - i thought this was a common procedure. my youngest brother had it done at age 4. i'd def get a 2nd opinion

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Posted by Bklyngrl

OMG that's terrible - i thought this was a common procedure. my youngest brother had it done at age 4. i'd def get a 2nd opinion

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

It is a common procedure, especially in kids under the age of 10. They bounce back really quickly too. Hopefully she'll benefit from it and not get sick nearly as often.

Lots of prayers coming your way for your niece!!

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Honestly every surgery has "risks" but I am sure the benefits will out way the risks in this case. I think it would horrible for your niece to go through another winter sick and on constant antibiotics.

My nephew had his adnoids out and he is fine.

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

I'm am sorry for your niece but she will feel so much better as a result. My DD had both her tonsils and adenoids out in May (she had just turned 3). Of course I was a nervous wreck as all surgeries have some degree of risk but I am so glad we did it. We put it off and put it off, blamed the wheather, etc. It just couldn't be put off anymore. She is much happier! FM if you have any questions.

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Like someone else said, the benefit outweighs the risk. My son had his out last November and was older (8) so I don't think he bounced back as quickly as he would've had he have been younger. It's a fairly common procedure. It's sad your student passed away though. Was that the Stonybrook incident?

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Posted by Summerrluvv

Like someone else said, the benefit outweighs the risk. My son had his out last November and was older (8) so I don't think he bounced back as quickly as he would've had he have been younger. It's a fairly common procedure. It's sad your student passed away though. Was that the Stonybrook incident?

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

It never hurts to get a second opinion and if your sister is now concerned/worried after you told her about your student then another opinion might settle her nerves. Sorry you guys are going through this.

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

I'm sorry your family has to deal with this. Any procedure, big or small has risks & benefits. It is absolutely terrible about that young boy that died, but that by any means is not a common occurrence if it was related to the surgery or not.
There are also risks to recurrent/chronic ear infections as well (hearing loss, abscess, ear drum perforation to name a few). I know surgery is always scary, my son is having a procedure in a few weeks that requires general anesthesia and while I am totally nervous, I know it is whats best for him and his health and have discussed all of my fears with his doctor.
Its not an easy situation, no one likes a young child to have a procedure, I understand that totally. If it would make your sister more comfortable about it to have a 2nd opinion, then by all means, but for me, it still doesn't take away the worry

Re: My 2 year old niece has to have surgery...

Posted by Melbernai

Posted by Summerrluvv

Like someone else said, the benefit outweighs the risk. My son had his out last November and was older (8) so I don't think he bounced back as quickly as he would've had he have been younger. It's a fairly common procedure. It's sad your student passed away though. Was that the Stonybrook incident?

I just feel like they should wait until she is at least 3. Everything I've read says that they rarely perform surgery on kids under 3 years of age.

It wasn't the stonybrook incident. He was actually operated on in Manhattan. They never definately determined his death was from the surgery, but it was 5 days after the surgery and a lot of us think it was related.

This is the article link