Re: preemie-l From Stephanie - Clogged Tear Ducts (fwd)

Elyse Schwimer Davis (esdavis@ix.netcom.com)
Mon, 17 Jun 1996 22:43:37 -0700


You wrote: 
>
>
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Fri, 14 Jun 96 11:39:28 PST
>From: scerreta@ccvhs.vhsla.com
>To: preemie-l@vicnet.net.au
>Subject: Clogged Tear Ducts
>
>     Hi Everyone,
>     
>     Nicholas has clogged tear ducts right now, and has some drops we 
have 
>     to put in.   I read that someone else briefly mentioned their 
child 
>     having this as well.  Is this a premie thing, or is it just a 
common 
>     newborn thing, or is it not common at all?  He had ROP which was 
>     healing itself, does this relate to that?  Do the ducts unclog 
with 
>     the drops alone?  My ped. mentioned massage, but I have medium 
long 
>     nails so I can't do it and my husband thinks he is going to hurt 
>     Nicholas by doing so.  Anyway, just thought someone could give me 
some 
>     info.  BTW - Nicholas goes for his 3 month check up today (well 
not 
>     really three months, CORRECTED, it is his 3 1/2 week check up).  
So, I 
>     am expecting him to be over 12 lbs. YEAH!!!!
>     
>     Talk to ya later!
>     
>     Stephanie, mom to Nicholas, 31 weeker, now 12 weeks.
>
>
>Hi Stephanie:

As a coincidence, I just scheduled an appointment for my son, 4 years 
old, to have his clogged tear duct opened up.  After numerous 
consultations, I was told that this is a common problem in babies and 
less common when it happens with toddlers, usually caused by scar 
tissue from an eye infection.  My son has had a few eye infections and 
that is what I believe, and the Dr's believe caused the clog.  They 
tried an eye drop, TobraDex, an antibiotic and cortizone combination 
that is sometimes successful in breaking through the clog.  In my sons 
situation it did not work.

I am also told that the actual unclogging procedure is not the problem 
but I should be more concerned about my son being put under anesthisia 
(Spelling?) and that I should make sure that I have a pediatric 
anesthishiologist (Spelling?)  I will let you know how it goes.

Elyse