IT’S ALL ABOUT HYDRATION.  Diminished pain along with faster healing are directly related to fluid intake.  This is very time consuming and tedious.  The parent of the child who has had a tonsillectomy needs to dedicate the next 5-7 days to this child only.  If you need help taking care of other children in the house, make appropriate arrangements for other caretakers.  If the child is unable to take solids and loses a little weight, that is not critical. However, what is critical is that the child maintains fluid intake.  The best way to monitor if enough fluid goes in is quite simply by how much fluid comes out. Therefore, any parent of a child who has had a tonsillectomy should post a piece of paper on the bathroom mirror with the days of the week starting with the first day after tonsillectomy.  You should make a check mark every time the child urinates.  You should maintain this list and submit it to your surgeon two weeks after surgery. If you have less than 4-5 check marks per day you are setting yourself up for complications such as infections, dehydration, increased pain and a strong possibility of bleeding one week after surgery (when the scabs peel off).  One of the best tricks to encourage adequate fluid intake is to freeze a plastic bottle of Gatorade and as it melts slowly shave off the top layer with a spoon so that it has the consistency of a “slushy”.  The child may tell you that he/she may not be able to swallow however you must overcome this even if it requires “tough love”.  It may be tedious, but the best way to accomplish this is to have the child take one or two swallows, have them wait 10-15 minutes and repeat, etc, etc, throughout the day.  If you are unable to push enough fluids to result in urination 4-5 times a day, you must notify our office so we can consider whether the child needs to go to the emergency room for any I.V. fluids.  REMEMBER YOU ARE THE PARENT, YOU MUST BE THE BOSS: YOU MUST PUSH FLUIDS!  We know this language sounds a little tough but you must stick to your guns.  Your child will reap the benefit of this operation for the rest of his/her life, but you have one difficult week in front of you.