Diet and Health FAQ

Tagged As: Headache In Child

Question:
My friend's daughter, 7 years old, had her adenoids removed on the 18th. They had to come out as they were blocking that area almost 100%. It was causing her teeth to lean inwards and her voice and speech were not normal. Surgery went fine, she finally has the voice of a little girl, although a little nasaly which were told will go away. Ok, done with the background, now my question, well actually 3 questions. First, her daughter has been having severe headaches since the day after surgery. They go away with Tylenol but only for a short time. They are in the back of her head above her neck. She went to the doctor's on Thursday...he thinks it is the after affects of the anesthesia (sp?) and should go away soon. They are more frequent now, and tylenol is only working for maybe an hour, way before she is allowed to take the next dose. So, I was wondering if anyone here has experienced the same with their child... Second question...This child has been seen by the same physician since she was born. Her voice has been abnormal since she first started talking. Her teeth have been growing in wrong for the past 2 years, and she can only sleep if sitting up, otherwise she can't breath (this was prior to the surgery) and she was a very loud snorer. My friend finally insisted on a referral to an Ear Nose Throat specialist who said the adenoids should have came out long ago. So, should her primary care doctor, the one who has treated her for 7 straight years, have been able to notice these problems sooner? When you look in a child's nose, which he did everytime she was in there sick, do you see the adenoids? Final question...at 7 years old, this child has wet the bed every night. The doctor checked her out, nothing physically wrong with her down there, psychologist said no emotional problems present, it came down to that she just doesn't wake up to pee. Well, that is a thing in the past now. Since last monday, she has not wet the bed at all. So, after peeing in her sleep for an entire 7 years, she went 5 nights straight waking up and using the restroom. So, my question...could there be a link between the way she was sleeping at night with her adenoids verses the way she sleeps at night now without them? It is so peaceful to hear her sleep now, can't hear a thing. Sorry this turned out to be so long.

Answer:
I am *not* an expert on adenoids or post surgical response to anesthesia in children. But, from what you have written, I believe your friend should be rapidly locating a new doctor. The current one appears to either have missed stuff right under his nose or didn't particularly care. Or maybe the doc wasn't seeing the child? Was it an assistant? This is becoming rather common. Further, if the doc isn't willing to see the child *Today* about the headaches, I'd get myself and child to the emergency room. Not a fun way to spend Sunday [or any day], but the way those headaches are acting is a concern. If they are an after effect of the anesthesia I would think they would be *decreasing* in severity and frequency, not increasing.