How do pediatric adenoidectomy and adenotonsillotomy influence maternal psychological status?

We conducted a study to determine the impact that pediatric adenoidectomy or adenotonsillotomy (adenoidectomy with a partial tonsillectomy) had on the short-term psychological status of the children's mothers. Mothers of 100 treated children were examined with the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) questionnaire immediately before the operation and 3 days afterward; to establish a baseline for control purposes, they completed another questionnaire 10 days postoperatively. We also compiled data for the mothers' demographic information and the children's physical status. In the preoperative period, we found that (1) the anxiety scores of half the mothers were abnormal, (2) depression scores were higher in the adenotonsillotomy group, and (3) anxiety and depression scores were lower in the mothers with more education and in the mothers who had a personal or family history of previous surgery. At 3 days postoperatively, anxiety and depression scores were again lower in the more educated mothers, and lower in the absence of postoperative fever. We conclude that mothers whose children are undergoing adenoidectomy or adenotonsillotomy, particularly the latter, and those with less education may require some psychological intervention. Such help may also be needed when postoperative complications occur.