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.