Just wondering, my 5 year old son has very large tonsils so the doctors say. He has had 4 cases of strep this year, twice which he was hospitalised for and one that he developed scarlet fever and was so so ill.. As a baby he had very bad reflux and was a terrible sleeper and very fussy. Even now he can vomit at the drop of a hat and vomit in his sleep without even knowing it. He also gets a lot of nose bleeds. I am wondering if there is a link between reflux and large tonsils. Does anyone know? Also, he gets very constipated and is hardly ever thirsty or wanting to drink. Do you think that he is still silently not wanting to drink because he may be still refluxing and I don't know because he wont tell me? He has ezema and very dry skin too...and he is skinny as a rake..

Hmm that is a hard one. The strep throat and reflux are unrelated I think, there are a few kids here who have had their tonsils out, but probably no more so than would in the same population of children. But if he is still having so many problems, you should ask to get them removed, as it is no fun at all, I had it about a year ago and I couldn't beleive it could be so bad.

With the silent reflux I suppose it is possible, but I would say no also, you would see other signs and they would be refusing all food and drink, low weight gain, more illnessess like ear infections, chest infections, pneumonia, coughing, and chestyness... but again all kids are different.

I am going to go on a limb and say that I think that the no drinking is tonsil related, I think it was Minnie whos Eric just got his removed and she said that he is eating better and drinking better now there is nothing in the way. Do you see an ENT? Some are so gung ho at getting them out, and others are very lax so I suppose it depends on the dr.

I heard this one

large tonsils are related to wetting the bed.
A mom at school was telling me that her 6 year old still wears a pull up to bed and gets up and it is SOAKED. the ENT told her that her tonsils are huge and that she gets into such a deep sleep (because of the tonsils) I guess, I don't know, but she doesn't wake up.
WEIRD!

Eric never drank enough, but would go through desperate thirsty spells here and there. I think large adenoids cause the thirst because of all the mouth breathing they have to do, but the large tonsils make it difficult to drink, so in Eric's case he was caught in a catch 22.
Now that his tonsils and adenoids are out, he eats and drinks like a normal kid. No constipation, no dehydration, it's been wonderful.

As far as a reflux connection, all I found were these links
and they are both a little off from what you want, but worth the read.
http://marci-kids.com/eerpharynx.html

http://clippednews.wordpress.com/2005/02/26/child-misdiagnosed-for-8-years/

My thoughts
I think that reflux and tonsils/adenoids play off each other. I think there really IS a connection. Eric eats and drinks a lot better now. He swallows a lot less air. My burpy little boy only burps maybe once a day now. I think that this helps his reflux tremendously! Also the fact that he's not constipated anymore because he eats and drinks better helps his reflux a lot too.
He also chews better now, and I think this helps his digestion too. No more whole foods going through his system and blocking things up.
He also doesn't choke anymore, and this HAS to help his reflux.

I think that reflux played the part in enlarging Eric's tonsils and adenoids, and flaring them up. I honestly think that if Eric didn't have reflux he also wouldn't have had enlarged tonsils/adenoids that made it difficult for him to breath, eat, drink, and sleep.

Eric is still refluxing, but there's a part of me that think its more from all the food/drink he is eating now on a continuous basis that is making it so prominent (because he has done this before). With everything I am observing right now, I'm thinking that with a little time, if he continues to eat and drink well, his reflux will calm down, and we may even be able to treat his reflux "As needed" with antacids or maybe not at all.
There's also a part of me that thinks this way of thinking is complete BULL. LOL The 2 things are barely related if at all, and we will be keeping are GI appointment in April and adding more testing and all that fun stuff to our lives this spring.

Look into it Nik
Take the guy into see an ENT and see what he thinks.
From what you typed.... I think it's worth a shot.

and if you decide to google about this and come across anything that links the 2 PLEASE post about it here and share it with me.

i will let you know if I find out, definately!! Em, that is amazing that you say that about wetting the bed as Jonah is good now, but used to wet the bed "all the time" when he was 3 and 4.and he is hard to wake up, and he snores too...! I do still have the referral to the ENT from when he was in hospital, so I should go and see him about it.

Oh and I read LOT's of links about obstructive apnea and bed wetting ;)
None of them really explained why, but they go together, and almost all of the articles and pages I read listed bed wetting as a possible symptom.

wow..that is so interesting. Iwill have to google this...