Brief Answer: Respiratory stress, bleeding and dehydration conse Detailed Answer: Hi and thanks for the query, Younger children are at increased risk of experiencing complications for many reasons. the size of their tonsils are generally small and there is a greater tendency of touching nearby organs. the throat is a complex reflex centre, and when stimultaed during surgery, many defensive reflex reactions like apnoea or respiratory difficulties could have more sever consequences in children. The amount of blood in the younger children is generally smaller. In case of bleeding, the consequences are more fatal. Because of their small size, they also have lesser possibilities to resist and fight against other side effects like serious blood loss, dehydration and and airway contractions or distress, that usually leads to difficulties in breathing (apnoea). these are the main reasons why these complications are more frequent and serious in children. In case you need more clarification, please do feel free asking. I shall be humbled making a contribution to the state of your well being. Kind regards. Dr Bain

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