Man those things are huge!

The little man has his 6 month dental cleaning today and they really go all out for kids these days.  I don't remember the dental office being the way it is for my kids today.  There are toys galore, movies, giant monsters with teeth that need to be brushed, along with a giant toothbrush and of course they have special names for all of the instruments.  Anyway, he was really excited about vising Dr. Holly today.  He asked numerous times who we were going to see because he wanted to make certain it wasn't Dr. Shinn.  Poor lady, she is really nice, but the kid doesn't like her at all.

He got a clean bill of health on his teeth, but his tonsils well that was a different story.  You see, they are HUGE.  It is amazing that the kid can even eat any food.  We have asked the pediatrician about it, but they say it is normal and unless he is sick a lot, which he isn't, then there isn't any reason for concern.  Well, Dr. Holly said that it isn't possible for him to breathe when he opens his mouth.  The tonsils constrict the uvula (read about it) and therefore he can't breathe when he opens his mouth.  She also said that this probably causes trouble with sleeping, snoring and could cause him to be moody, it could cause issues with eating because he feels like he might choke.   Ok, check, check, check and check.  She suggested that we go see an ENT to have them take a look and see if anything needs to be done, but at the least there should be someone watching these suckers.

Having been a child that suffered through regular cases of strep throat and tonsillitis I hate those things.  The doctors would always say, "if Amy has one more case of strep we will take them out."  Well guess what?  I never had one more case.  It was like my tonsils had ears.  They felt threatened so they kept their act together for just a few weeks and then they started their BS again.  It was always around some big function, holiday or family event.  I'm not joking.  Ask my mom.  They are just a source of irritation.  Evolution should have really taken care of these things by now.  Those and the appendix.  I mean come on.

Anyway, I was so sick, so often, that I had craters in those disgusting balls of flesh that some believe help fight off illness, but according to wikipedia there is no conclusive evidence to show that even to be true.  Interesting, very interesting.  It also says that people that aren't ENT's (pediatricians) are usually against having tonsils removed AND that tonsils usually reached their largest size near puberty.  Good grief, if my son's tonsils get any larger you will be able to see them under his chin.  Ha, he will look like Peter from Family Guy.  Sheez, that would be a travesty.  If you know what the guy looks like you will understand why that is such a bad thing. 

So, next week we are off to visit an ENT.  Just for a consultation.  I'm not quite sure how to broach this subject with the little guy.  I'm sure the ENT will use a tongue depressor and just like his momma, he gags every time.  This is one of the many reasons that he doesn't like Dr. Shinn.  She uses the stick!  Side note,  I had a doctor tell my mom once (like I don't have ears or something) that she needed to take me to a psychologist since I obviously had issues because I threw such a fit over the tongue depressor.  How rude, and what an ignorant jacka**.  First of all, who wants to have someone ram a stick in their mouth, especially a child and second of all, if you are going to be a pediatrician then you really should have more compassion toward children.  If I could remember his name, I would write him an angry letter. 

Ok, back on track.  Suggestions on how to bring this up with the little guy are welcome.

On to pictures from our day at the dentist.