Ahead of Winter when many children become unwell, an Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist from the Buderim Private Hospital has released an educational video which aims to help children experiencing tonsil troubles.
Dr Adam Blond’s Care to Share video seeks to empower parents with the knowledge to understand what symptoms to look out for in children with chronic tonsil issues and the potential benefits of treatment.
“There are two groups of patients with tonsil problems that I often see – firstly, the infective group who are those children who experience infection regularly, generally more than three times a year multiple years in a row, or more than five serious infections in a year,” Dr Blond said.
“The second group is what I call the obstructive child – parents of these kids are generally concerned that their child is not doing as well as they could. These children often snore and tend to be the walkers, talkers, thrashers and grinders while sleeping,” he said.
“These children wake up looking tired even if they’ve been in bed for 10-12 hours, and because of the hormones not being produced in their deep REM sleep, their appetite, growth, endurance, and even their IQ, can be affected.”
“The benefits of a tonsillectomy for the infective group of children are immediate. The infections stop, and the risk of febrile convulsions, airway difficulties and severe abscess formation decrease significantly.”
“With the obstructive child, we see even bigger changes – they can experience quite dramatic growth (even 5-10cm within the first three months), are healthier and more energetic and able to concentrate and focus better as well.”
Wallis Westbrook, General Manager of Buderim Private Hospital, said he anticipated this video will help many local families.
“No one ever likes to see their child get sick but in most cases this is just a normal part of childhood – for some children however, these issues compound over many years and result in them not being able to reach their full potential,” Mr Westbrook said.
“Being a parent can be tough sometimes, especially when we see our child struggling and we second guess some of the choices we make in regards to their health and wellbeing which is why I think Dr Blond’s message is important for parents to watch so they feel well informed and reassured they are acting in their child’s best interests,” he said.
Dr Blond also encourages parents to trust their instincts when it comes to the health of their child.
“I regularly see parents’ intuition comes into play – sometimes parents are worried but not sure what they are worried about and it’s my job to try to educate them so we can make a decision on whether the child may benefit from medical intervention,” Dr Blond said.
“In particular, I would like parents to know that a child simply should not snore so I urge anyone who observes this with their child to talk to their GP and seek further treatment,” he said.
Buderim Private Hospital has been serving the community since 1980 and is part of UnitingCare Health - one of the largest not-for-profit private hospital groups in Queensland which operates more than 1000 licensed beds across four hospitals.
To view the video or submit a question to our team of experts to answer, find us on social media or visit buderimprivatehospital.com.au/caretoshare
Pictured: Dr Adam Blond