My 8-year-old son takes frequent gasping breaths, especially while playing and when lying down to sleep.  He sleeps well once he falls asleep and does not snore.  His tonsils are very large.  The doctor thinks his lungs are not getting empty because of his tonsils leaving little room for clean air.  Is this possible?
Hi, if his tonsils have enlarged then you should meet an ENT specialist and get it examined and go for its management if possible then by medical means like antibiotics ampicillin or erythromycin or co-amoxiclav, he should do Chat Doctor. As far as these complain are concerned these may be caused by enlarged laryngeal or even pharyngeal tonsil depending on their size, so it is advisable to consult a specialist. Other causes should not be neglected, and he should go for complete cardiovascular assessment including ECG, echocardiography and chest X-ray. Wish you all the best.