Posted on 04/05/2006 12:51:06 AM PDT by neverdem
Researchers have found strong evidence that adenotonsillectomy the surgery to remove the tonsils and adenoids can help relieve childhood behavioral or attention problems, including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, or A.D.H.D.
Although the surgery has become less common with antibiotics, more than 400,000 children under 15 have their tonsils, adenoids or both removed every year, according to estimates by the Metropolitan Insurance Company. About half of the patients undergo the procedure to control chronic throat or ear infections. The rest have the operation to relieve breathing difficulty or nighttime sleep apnea, a serious disorder in which the sleeping child briefly stops breathing during the night.
Researchers studied 78 children who were scheduled for the operation, and a control group of 27 children having other surgery. According to the paper, which was published yesterday in Pediatrics, it has been known that children with sleep disorders often have behavior problems. But no cause-and-effect relationship has been established.
All the children spent one night in a sleep laboratory to record their sleep and breathing patterns. Their parents filled out scales that measured their children's behavior, each child was tested for vigilance and concentration and their daytime sleepiness was measured and recorded. Finally, a child psychiatrist determined which children's difficulties merited the diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Compared with the control group, the children scheduled for adenotonsillectomy were more likely to be hyperactive by their parents' estimates and more likely to experience behavior problems and sleepiness at school. Twenty-two of the adenotonsillectomy patients, but only 2 of the controls, had a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.
At follow-up a year later, seven children whose tonsils and adenoids had been removed and one from the control group had sleep apnea. Only 11 of the 22 adenotonsillectomy patients with A.D.H.D. still had the disorder a year...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I honestly believe based on what I know about CAPD that this is actually the ADD ADHD epidemic we are seeing. CAPD has a common cause. I think it is as old as man itself but was not an issue for most kids and adults until the technology explosion just within the past two decades.
In general to produce ADD ADHD behavior there needs to be triggers. Triggers can be video games, certain TV even cartoons etc or audio/visual saturation. This was not as prevalent before the 1980's as it is now. As such only more severe cases showed up. Medical science especially doctors must learn the difference between ADD ADHD and CAPD to ever deal with it effectively. Ito CAPD for all practical purposes you can toss the Ritalin. If any drug is to be used try antihistamines instead.
CAPD in rare cases can wreck your life even to the point of disability later in adult life as the sensory system becomes more damaged either by the underlying cause such as allergies or age.
As for dealing with and testing for CAPD go to either a Speech Pathologist or Audiologist for testing. Modern Psychiatry has not caught up with this information. The mental health community doesn't recognize it but Vestibular Researchers and Doctors who deal in this are far more likely to know this. Most doctors though in general have never heard of it despite the fact it is a major cause of Panic Attacks and General Anxiety Disorder in adults. Persons with Vestibular Disorders such as Menieres Disease and Tinnitus etc are obviously at a much higher risk.
A child with this can have some rather unusual quirks. For example shoes wearing out usually by breaking over the sides. With the Vestibular System damaged the child or adult compensates for balance by walking off center. The gait may not even be noticeable. Problems in athletics will occur also especially in games like baseball. The kid will likely duck away from the ball or swing late. Poor eye/muscle coordination is common also.
A special danger for adults with this is if it goes into triggering Panic Attacks is getting the wrong medication. SSRI's and antidepressants should in general be avoided as it only makes matters worse and can in cases or patients with motor sensory damage put them at a higher risk of Serotonin Syndrome. I this is the origin of the attacks which usually can be determined by a extensive medical history and process of elimination, then tranquilizers should be considered. It is highly important to have a consistent dosage in the blood stream at all times. Drugs like low dosages of Xanax 4 times per day seem to be the most effective for this type of anxiety disorder. Antidepressants will likely result in several emergency room visits from adverse side effects. Again many doctors are simply not educated to the nature of it thus causing more harm than good in treating it.
The article added with info I posted applies to adults as well.
I do know that problems due to sleep disorders can manifest themselves in so many ways and in so many areas of one's life that it boggles the mind.
I can't think of tonsils without thinking of Cosby..
"Hey you....almost a doctor..."
"Ice cream....we're going to have ice cream...."
(one of the greatest comedy routines ever)
/sarcasm
ping
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