Are tonsils to blame for many cognitive, behavioral woes?

Solving some behavior or learning problems may be as simple as removing a child’s tonsils, according to two studies.

In one study, Paul Suratt and colleagues evaluated 56 children referred for suspected sleep breathing problems due to enlarged tonsils. The researchers found that children who spent less time in bed and had histories of nightly snoring (a common symptom of disturbed breathing due to enlarged tonsils) had lower scores on tests measuring vocabulary skills and skill in recognizing similarities.

In another study, Ronald Chervin and colleagues evaluated 78 children before they underwent tonsil and adenoid removal to correct disordered sleep breathing, and reevaluated them one year later. At both times, the researchers assessed the children for behavioral, cognitive, and psychiatric problems. The study also included a control group of children who underwent unrelated surgeries.

The researchers report that before their surgeries, the children who had their tonsils and adenoids removed were more hyperactive, inattentive, sleepy, and likely to have a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than children undergoing other surgeries. In contrast, the researchers found no differences between the two groups when retesting them one year later.