Q. One of our six-year-old twins has inherited my allergies. He suffers from severe congestion, especially at night. Once in a while – even though his chest rises and falls – there’s no sound for a few seconds, then he takes a big gasp for air, snores a while, then repeats this episode. It’s so scary that we let him sleep with us to make sure he's breathing! He has an appointment with an ENT doctor next week. Should he advise surgery for tonsils and adenoids, what concerns should we have? Thanx.

-Mom2Twins

A. I have a few thoughts on this:

Do you think it's the allergies causing swollen tonsils and adenoids? If so, you should try an allergy medication to see if the swelling can be reduced this way before considering surgery. Sometimes the difference is dramatic.

If you've already tried this, or if it is the natural size of the tonsils and adenoids causing the sleep apnea (and it sounds like that's what your child has), then surgery is the appropriate next step. Look for a surgeon experienced with children and a hospital where the anesthesiologists are also comfortable with kids.

In the right hands, most children do well and the effect on their sleep is very positive.

-Dr. Sadler

Don’t miss! Check out our guide to Healthy Sleep for the whole family.