Limitations
There were however limitations to this study as we compared two
subsequent time periods and seasonal variation in tonsillitis rates has
been demonstrated previously. This methodology was chosen to improve
recall of tonsillitis episodes and achieve a more accurate rate of
retrospective data collection. Anecdotally the rates of tonsillitis are
thought to increase during the winter months but there is little data to
support this. We also know that a proportion of children will recover
from episodes of recurrent tonsillitis whilst on the waiting list and
this needs to be taken in to account when interpreting our findings.