Does parental stress improve after pediatric tonsillectomy?

Parental stress is defined as a subjective perception that parenting demands are higher than their resources and is reportedly higher in parents who have children with both chronic and acute illnesses. Ear-nose-throat (ENT) disorders, such as recurrent infections and obstruction sleep disorders, are one of the most prevalent comorbidities in pediatric age. Worldwide, tonsillectomy stands as the surgical treatment for these conditions, associated with a significant burden on both the children and their parents. The purpose of this study is to determine parental stress levels before and after tonsillectomy and to ascertain whether these levels improve after the children's surgery.

This is a prospective cohort study enrolling 48 parents accompanying their children aged 3-10 for outpatient tonsillectomy surgery in a tertiary portuguese hospital. Consent for participation in this study was obtained and parental stress was determined using the portuguese version of Parental Stress Scale (PSS). All parents completed PSS before surgery and at the 6-month follow-up evaluation.

Of the 48 surveys obtained, 38 were mothers aged from 24 to 45 years. The median age of children was 3 (3-9) years and half were girls. Surgery was performed due to obstruction sleep disorders in about 71 % of children. The overall average stress level was 29,19 (standard deviation 7,5), with higher scores being associated with male children. At the 6-month reevaluation PSS was significantly lower (26,98), with a prominent reduction in the parental stress subscale in mothers comparing to fathers.

These results highlight the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment of children requiring tonsillectomy, as this condition may affect not only their physical health, but also parental relations, reflecting on their upbringing.