ADHD and tonsillectomy - ADD / ADHD Message Board

crash3391 · 05-27-2002, 08:12 AM

I was just wondering if anyone had experience with the effects that tonsillectomy had on behaviour. I was watching 48 hours and they said that sleep apnea (which my son has) has been connected to increased ADHD symptoms. Jesse has had chronically enlarged tonsils for years and is scheduled to have them out in the end of June. I was wondering if anyone had seen behavioural improvements after this surgery. They say that it may help but I'm still interested to know if anyone has actually seen this improvement.

Bridget Dixon

mlgable · 05-27-2002, 11:18 PM

I have not known someone who has had this done but sleep apnea is known to be related to many problems and once you take care of the sleep apnea other problems tend to disappear as the person is finally able to get a full nights sleep. Lets face it if you stopped breathing frequently during the night which means your sleep is interuppted many many times each night I think your behavior would not be the same a person without sleep apnea. Think of how you tend to feel and act when you don't get a good nights sleep. This is what happens every single night with a person who has sleep apnea. If the enlarged tonsils are the cause of your son's sleep apnea you could very well see an improvement in his behavior since he will be well rested for the first time in his life.