BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- New research has found that children who had their tonsils and adenoids removed for sleep-related breathing disorders still sleep better two-and-a-half years later than they did before the procedure, but not as well as they did six months immediately after the procedure.

For the most part, researchers found continued behavioral benefits for these kids as a result of getting better nights' rests.

Enlarged tonsils that caused sleep disturbances were thought to be at the root of some behavioral problems. Early signs of improvement in the reduction of hyperactivity, inattention and oppositional behavior were maintained for years.

However, while previous research had suggested that removal of the tonsils might be a valid treatment for some children with ADHD, and this study did find an initial improvement, these results were not maintained by the end of the study.