title: Intellectual and school performance evaluation of children submitted to tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy before and after surgery.
abstract: Several studies have demonstrated the impact of obstructive sleep disorders on the quality of life of children. However, few studies address school and intellectual performances of children who have undergone tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy, indicating the benefits of these surgeries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the learning and intellectual performances of children submitted to tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy, before and after surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  83 children between the ages of 7 and 11 were evaluated by a psychologist employing a longitudinal and descriptive study in the pre and post-surgery groups. The first evaluation was performed just before surgery, and the second and third evaluations one and six months after the surgical procedure. The social-demographic form, Raven's Colored Progressive Matrices Test and the School Performance Test were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group of children in this study presented a statistically significant evolution in their intellectual performance evaluations (p < 0.05) and also school performance evaluations in writing, mathematics and reading sub-tests (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our findings we concluded that tonsillectomy or adenotonsillectomy performed in children with obstructive respiratory disorders produce a positive impact on intellectual and school learning development.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Psicologia, Departamento de Pediatria e Puericultura, Irmandade da Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo.
authors.forename: Felipe Hideo
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Patricia A de Campos
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Horta
authors.forename: Wilze Laura
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Bruscato
authors.forename: José Eduardo Luftaif
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dolci
mesh_terms: D000233:Adenoidectomy; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004495:Education of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014068:Tonsillectomy