Dr. Jeff,

Do you know what can be done to reduce enlarged tonsils/adenoids causing sleep apnea in a child?

They want to remove our son's tonsils and adenoids because he has difficulty breathing at night. He's tonsils get a response from every doctor who looks in his mouth. He has dust mits allergies that I have tried to control (covers, washing, Zyrtec, Singular, Nasacort). The doctors want him on Nasacort and I just don't like the steroid (he's gained some weight).

I feel that taking out his tonsils and adenoids would hurt his health in the long run and don't want to put him through that, but I also don't like the sound I'm hearing from him most of the time.

We did talk to the doctor about removing just the adenoids to see how things would go, but he thinks that if we are going to do it that it is better to do all at once.

Any suggestions on how to reduce the swollen tonsils? He has problems with his gut and I have been trying to get it straight, but he is 7 and it's not easy to get him to try the things an adult will do. He can take pills now so that does help.

He doesn't have a chronic history of strep infections, only about two his whole life, but we just had to do two rounds of antibiotics to get rid of strep and two ear infections.

I have tried some things like red root tea but I'm not sure if I'm steeping it correctly or if I'm giving him enough to see results. Chinese medicine is one option I know nothing about nor if it could help him.

I'll appreciate any help you may have.