The Positive Effect of Adenotonsillectomy on Drooling in Children

Objectives (1) To investigate the prevalence and severity of drooling among healthy young children referred for adenotonsillectomy; (2) to evaluate the effect of adenotonsillectomy on drooling. Study Design Prospective study. Setting Tertiary referral center. Methods Healthy typically developed children aged 18 to 48 months referred to adenotonsillectomy for upper airway obstruction (UAO) were recruited. Age‐matched children recruited from the community served as controls. Drooling frequency and severity were assessed at baseline and 2 months following surgery based on 2 subjective scales: the Drooling Infants and Preschoolers Scale (DRIPS) and Thomas‐Stonell and Greenberg Saliva Severity Scale (TSGS). Results Eighty‐seven children aged 18 to 48 months were included in the study. Forty‐three children referred to adenotonsillectomy (study group) and 44 age‐matched controls. There were significant differences in almost all of the DRIPS items between children in the presurgery group compared to controls. Drooling severity and frequency were greater in the former compared to the latter (TGF‐s severity: 1.4 ± 1.0 vs 0.6 ± 0.8, P = .001; TGF frequency: 1.3 ± 0.9 vs 0.5 ± 0.6, P