Question for parents

My 4 yr old just got tonsils and adenoids removed, the meds they gave to help with the throat pain are a labeled narcotic requiring food on the stomach.

We cant get him to eat, because of his sore throat, he doesn't do ice cream will only do popsicles for a short time, no to jello and yogurt

Got him to eat some noodles the first night home, but today only a little of it

I'm running out of ideas at this point help!

originally posted by: Irishhaf
My 4 yr old just got tonsils and adenoids removed, the meds they gave to help with the throat pain are a labeled narcotic requiring food on the stomach.

We cant get him to eat, because of his sore throat, he doesn't do ice cream will only do popsicles for a short time, no to jello and yogurt

Got him to eat some noodles the first night home, but today only a little of it

I'm running out of ideas at this point help!

scrambled eggs? flavored oatmeal (like the instant kind)...hot dog cut up in super tiny pieces...mac & cheese...protein shake...he has a little stomach, so should not take too much to fill him up.

a reply to: Irishhaf

I had mine out but I think a bit later in life than 4 (maybe twelve or so? probably earlier). I thought removing the tonsils and adenoids was no longer considered best practice.

Try food that he likes. I know they say soft foods. But I was never concerned both with my tonsils out, or with my wisdom teeth out, about soft foods.
Just getting back to normal, and liking what I liked was my concerns.

*I have no medical training and anything I suggest is from my own experience and should not be taken as medical advice.

** As a parent I have a hard enough time getting any of my kids to eat anything, that I try to tailor family meals to appeal to at least each of them at least once a week.
Between my wife's willingness to supply alternative food to the dinner I cook, and the various snacks we keep on hand, I know the kids are not starving even if they refuse to try the dinner I make. The simple fact they are refusing should make that clear.


It's a difficult line to decipher, we have the medical advice to adhere to, and the lack of starvation of your child on the other hand.
My Mother (a registered nurse) was fond of Saltine crackers and 7up for me when I was ill, or under the weather, or recovering.
Saltines (or Soda crackers) are probably not great right now, but it might be an option soon, at least to settle the tummy.

I would say let the child dictate what they want, within reason. Broths would be another thing to think about.

Best of luck.

I agree with cold drinks, ice cream or a protein shake, or a frozen banana, popsicle, or jello. Cold helps reduce the swelling Id avoid hot broths or soups on day one, as they can irritate the raw areas. Oatmeal or scrambled eggs in the morning then into a broth or soup on day two.

For bonus suckage points it's January in Fairbanks so dry as dry can be.

Eta: it is early but when he had pneumonia they swelled up to a point he couldn't eat, he was living on whole milk for several days.

Aw, poor kid … at least it should heal fairly quickly …. Here are some food ideas:
Mash potatoes ,…. cream of wheat with brown sugar and milk ,.. Saltines soaked in milk ( can sprinkle with sugar if needed )…. scrambled Eggs ,… yogurt….a smoothie with bananas , dash of chocolate and peanut butter …( or any smooth flavored smoothie ) … mashed peas…. Baby food … apple sauce … ….and you can always purée some foods into a smooth soup consistency , like macaroni and cheese , or certain veggies , or chicken , etc.
hoping for a speedy recovery !

I got mine out when I was 14.... I was craving savoury food so badly... Sick of ice cream, sick of jelly...
Scrambled eggs and Worcestershire sauce was my saviour.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Does he like cheeseburgers?

Blend him one up.

Seriously.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Mashed potatoes with gravy or with other favourite flavours.

Most ideas I had were already posted. Soup, mashed potato, soak bread in "hot" chocolate (let it cool down).

However, not sure about the milk and wound, because of possible infections. Does he get antibiotics? If so, no milk products during that time, is what my doc always told me.

a reply to: Irishhaf

Pain and narcotics will kill your appetite. It won't hurt for him to go a day or so without food, as long as he's getting fluids. Let some of the inflammation go down and he'll feel more like eating. After that, let him choose what he wants and try to make the best of it.

If he likes mac n cheese, over cook the noodles till they're really soft and when you mix in the cheese, you get something the consistency of mashed potatoes. It's what we did with my daughter when she was 6 and had tonsils out. She also liked mini ravioli in the can. It's soft, easy to chew and swallow.
Stay away from juices that are acidic, they just irritate the throat. We kept ice water handy or just let her crunch on some cracked ice. [ helps with inflammation too ] We also got her favorite Gatorade or you may want Pedialyte since he's so young.

I know as a parent you're thinking you just HAVE to get him to eat, but I've got 3 and they all went through strep throats and getting tonsils out and the not wanting to eat thing. He'll fine for a day or so without and he'll eat when he feels like it.

I'm guessing his pain meds are liquid ?

a reply to: TDDAgain

Has anyone suggested applesauce? Room temperature is better, .... not the sour kind unless your patient like that.

Less important than food is water.

And if you end up medicating him with too little food .. watch for the "heaves"

when they get hungry
They'll eat

Perhaps a fruit smoothie? Kids can be so fussy and when pain is involved it certainly makes it a lot harder to deal with.

Apple sauce?
a reply to: Irishhaf

originally posted by: homerJ
I got mine out when I was 14.... I was craving savoury food so badly... Sick of ice cream, sick of jelly...
Scrambled eggs and Worcestershire sauce was my saviour.

A kindred spirit!!!

I thought I was the only person in the world who likes Worcestershire sauce with scrambled eggs!

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: homerJ
I got mine out when I was 14.... I was craving savoury food so badly... Sick of ice cream, sick of jelly...
Scrambled eggs and Worcestershire sauce was my saviour.

A kindred spirit!!!

I thought I was the only person in the world who likes Worcestershire sauce with scrambled eggs!

Worcestershire sauce addict here.

Dang straight!

A1 too, lol.

a reply to: MykeNukem

Yup! A1 works too!!!

And salsa. Yum!

All above, forget. He's 4 years old. Lie to him. Find out which is his favourite cartoon character is (if you're a good parent you'd know straight away) and slowly drip feed him that this character only eats (pick a food that you want him to eat) the one. BS, BS, BS, he wont know different. Make up any story you like, tell him the food will give him super powers and when he finds out it doesn't, tell him it was a bad batch.

By the way, I've got it coming as my 7 year old grand-daughter has to have the same operation.

That was a fun night...

Mom had to be up early so I had him again, total meltdown but eventually got him back to sleep.

He is eating this morning, egg pancake as he calls them, sunny side up with the yoke broken just to the point the yoke is cooked through.

We decided to switch to childrens tylenol and it seems to be working, his anxiety over the other med was not worth the 3-4 hour calm time, as well as it made his skin itchy.

Good call, if Tylenol is working better to use it then a opioid, which I assume was the prescription due to his side effects.

Best of luck and happy your child is on the mend.

a reply to: Irishhaf