Child preferences for post-tonsillectomy diet

• Published in: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology Vol. 31; no. 1; pp. 29 - 33
• Main Authors: Thomas, Phyllis C., Moore, Patricia, Reilly, James S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adenoidectomy; Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Diet; Diseases of the upper aerodigestive tract; Eating; Ent and stomatology; Food Preferences; Humans; Medical sciences; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Tonsillectomy; Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy; Diet; Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy; Children; Human; Dietetics; Postoperative; Treatment; Tonsillectomy; Follow up study; Preference; Surgery; ENT disease; Child
• ISSN: 0165-5876; 1872-8464
• DOI: 10.1016/0165-5876(94)01064-5

Dietary advice for children who have undergone tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) is divergent. We studied dietary preferences in 2 series of children who underwent T&A. The first group of 50 subjects was offered a variety of types of food the morning after surgery and they preferred liquids, followed by soft foods and were least likely to choose rough foods. When only liquids and soft foods were offered to a second group of 50 subjects, less food was wasted compared with the first group. A liquid/soft diet enhances food consumption and should continue to be advocated to facilitate recovery from T&A after surgery.