Tonsil and adenoid removal - discharge


 

Alternate Names

Adenoidectomy - discharge; Removal of adenoid glands - discharge

When Your Child Was in the Hospital

Your child had surgery to remove the adenoid glands in the throat. These glands are located between the airway between the nose and the back of the throat. Often, adenoids are removed at the same time as the tonsils (tonsillectomy).

What to Expect at Home

Complete recovery takes about 1 to 2 weeks. If only the adenoids are removed, the recovery usually takes only a few days. Your child will have pain or discomfort that will get better slowly. Your child’s tongue, mouth, throat, or jaw may be sore from the surgery.

While healing, your child may have:

  • Nose stuffiness
  • Drainage from the nose, which may be bloody
  • Ear pain
  • Sore throat
  • Bad breath
  • Slight fever for 1 to 2 days after surgery
  • Swelling of the uvula in the back of the throat

Self-care

If there is bleeding in the throat and mouth, have your child spit out the blood instead of swallowing it.

Try soft foods and cool drinks to ease throat pain, such as:

  • Jell-O and pudding
  • Pasta, mashed potatoes, and cream of wheat
  • Applesauce
  • Low-fat ice cream, yogurt, sherbet, and popsicles
  • Smoothies
  • Scrambled eggs
  • Cool soup
  • Water and juice.

Foods and drinks to avoid are:

  • Orange and grapefruit juice and other drinks that contain a lot of acid
  • Hot and spicy foods
  • Rough foods like raw crunchy vegetables and cold cereal
  • Dairy products that are high in fat. They may increase mucous and make it hard to swallow.

Your child’s doctor will probably prescribe pain drugs for your child to use as needed.

Avoid drugs that contain aspirin. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a good choice for pain after surgery. Ask your child’s doctor if it is okay for your child to take acetaminophen.

When to Call the Doctor

Call the doctor if your child has:

  • Low-grade fever that does not go away or a fever over 101 °F
  • Bright red blood coming from the mouth or nose. If bleeding is severe, take your child to the emergency room or call 911.
  • Vomiting and there is a lot of blood
  • Breathing problems. If breathing problems are severe, take your child to the emergency room or call 911.
  • Nausea and vomiting that continues 24 hours after surgery

References

Wetmore RF. Tonsils and adenoids. In: Kliegman RM, Stanton BF, St. Geme. JW, eds.Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics.19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 375.

Review Date: 11/9/2012
Reviewed By: Seth Schwartz, MD, MPH, Otolaryngologist, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc., Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, David R. Eltz, Stephanie Slon, and Nissi Wang.

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