Recovery after paediatric ENT surgery typically requires two weeks of dedicated care at home with a focus on pain management and hydration.
Bringing your child home after surgery can feel overwhelming. Dr Julia Crawford reduces this stress by providing a clear and structured plan to manage pain and ensure safety. This allows you to focus on comforting your child rather than worrying about the unknown.
The recovery process usually lasts 14 days. During this time your main role is to manage pain and ensure your child drinks enough fluids. We provide detailed instructions specific to your child's procedure but the general principles below apply to most paediatric ENT surgeries including tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.
Recovery moves through distinct stages. Knowing what to expect helps you stay calm and plan your care routine.
Your child will likely be sleepy and may be unsteady on their feet. They might experience some nausea from the anaesthetic. Keep them quiet and encourage small sips of water.
Effective pain control is the foundation of a safe recovery. If your child is in pain they will not drink. This leads to dehydration which increases pain and the risk of infection.
Hydration is the most effective way to help lower the risk of complications. Food is secondary. A child can go days without solid food safely but they cannot go without fluids.
While most children recover smoothly it is important for parents to be able to distinguish between normal healing and signs that require medical attention.
We are committed to transparent care from admission to discharge.
Dr Crawford consults at three convenient locations across Sydney.
While your specialist consultations take place at the clinics listed above, the surgical process involves a separate set of mandatory hospital-based appointments. These take place at the facility where your procedure is scheduled, such as St Vincent’s Private Hospital or St George Private Hospital. These appointments are a critical part of the safety protocol for Transoral Robotic Surgery (TORS).
We monitor your child's recovery closely.
If you have questions about the healing process or need to schedule a review please contact our team.
Our team can assist with appointment enquiries and help arrange a consultation with Dr Julia Crawford at one of her three Sydney consulting locations:
Dr Julia Crawford consults for head and neck conditions, head and neck cancer, thyroid and salivary gland disease, obstructive sleep apnoea, paediatric ENT and selected general ENT problems.
Her team can assist with arranging an appointment at Darlinghurst, Kogarah or Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, and will help ensure the appropriate information and investigations are available before your consultation.