“Tonsillitis”

Tonsillitis is mainly a clinical diagnosis, not one typically made based upon a CT scan. A designation of "4th grade" is not one that I am familiar with (perhaps this is outside the U.S.?). Most cases of tonsillitis are infectious/inflammatory and resolve spontaneously with time or occasionally with the help of medicines.

Yes we can often effectively treat tonsillitis with antibiotics and reserve surgery for treatment failures.

Why the CAT scan and if he is in the 4th grade and 6 years old something is very wonderful or very wrong!!!
Main indication for tonsillectomy is repeated infections and or strep on an ongoing basis during the year and 6 year`s old is NO contraindication to removal

Tonsillitis at age 9-10 is not unusual. Guidelines for treatment include antibiotics for infection for 7-10 days and surgery is only indicated for multiple infections in on or two years and markedly enlarged tonsils causing airway blockage.

James A. Hadley, MD, FACS

Choosing between medical treatment and surgery is up to the parents of the child. Depending on the general medical condition and severity/frequency of symptoms these are the options. if the problem is sleep apnea, a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy is probably indicated. The potential complications are bleeding, potential transfusion, anesthetic mishaps, and in rare cases death. The indications for tonsillectomy are 3 proven strep infections in 6 months, 4 strep infections in one year, sleep apnea, conditions that will worsen with repeated bacteremia/sepsis like valvular heart disease, kidney disease, etc. Many choose to treat the infections as they occur and thus avoid the risks of surgery. Repeated tonsillitis can be be addressed with personal hygiene, frequent hand washings, avoiding those with coughs/cold, not eating from others' plate or using their utensils. Most tonsillectomies go well, but not all

Probably you are referring to the size of the tonsil being 4 plus. Size alone is not an indication for a tonsillectomy unless it's related to a serious problem like upper airway obstruction, obstructive sleep apnea, or multiple bouts of infections requiring antibiotic therapy. Age 6 is perhaps a little older and should not be a problem. Tonsillectomy is a surgical procedure that carries all the complications of any major surgical procedure and general anesthesia, and nobody can guarantee that will be 100% free of risk.