|
Post by Chester on Feb 2, 2005 17:25:01 GMT -5
I've been doing a lot of lurking around the board, being new to the board and all.
Our son who has Down Syndrome will be three next month. He has had clogged tear ducts since the time we got him (8 months old) (He is adopted). We've seen the opthamologist. We've done drops and we've done the massage, but have decided to wait on the probing to make sure JT doesn't just outgrow it.
We've got another opthamologist appt. next month. I think it's time to do something more drastic. His little eyes run and run and run. He is African American so the tears leave little stains, and we always get comments asking why he is so sad. He doesn't have a sad bone in his body, he's the happiest guy around!
Plus it is just plain cold, and the tears make his little face freeze up.
Has anyone had any experience with clogged tear ducts? Any advice?
|
|
|
Post by lboswell on Feb 2, 2005 23:22:00 GMT -5
One of my best friends son had the same issue with his tear duct. They actually had a surgery scheduled for him at 1 year but then they declined to have it done due to nerves (on their part). He actually outgrew it though. So basically what I am telling you is there is a minor surgery that can be done to correct the problem.
|
|
|
Post by alisonzmom on Feb 2, 2005 23:44:41 GMT -5
Hi!
Welcome to Unomas! I'm Barb, mom to 3 girls, Alison 22 months with DS, Sarah 8, and Caitlin 14.
My 8 yr old daughter had clogged tear ducts. She had constant yukky green drainage that the doc kept treating as pink eye - from the time she was only a couple of weeks old until she was about 18 months old. We ended up having the tear duct probing done when she was 20 months old. She has had absolutely no problems since then. The procedure was very quick - she was in and out of the OR in about 20 minutes. They did use general anesthesia which we weren't too thrilled about. All total I think we were at the hospital for about 2.5 hrs. For Sarah, it was a very successful procedure and I am glad that we went through with it. She was a little sleepy and groggy that afternoon but by dinner time, she was her usual peppy self.
Barb
|
|
|
Post by Chris on Feb 3, 2005 20:07:06 GMT -5
My daughter, Sarah (3) has had her tear ducts probed and ballooned four times. She had crawford tubes put in her ducts last June and had them taken out in December. I was hoping the tubes would have stretched out her ducts and she would be cured but she still has nasty green drainage most of the time. Her eye doctor said that there is nothing else he can do. I guess we will be looking for a second opinion.
The tear duct probing is no big deal. Sarah was like a wild animal when the anesthesia was wearing off but she didn't have any problems after her surgery in December. I wouldn't hesitate having the surgery. I hear it works most of the time.
Chris
|
|
|
Post by Kristen on Feb 4, 2005 13:17:23 GMT -5
Welcome! I personally had one and the drops and massage along with johnson's baby shampoo with warm water on a washcloth got it going. The opthamolagist specifically said Johnson's, so maybe it has an ingredient in it? Might not hurt to try at any rate!
|
|
|
Post by Chester on Feb 4, 2005 14:52:22 GMT -5
Thank-you all! I hadn't heard about the Johnson's baby soap. We will try that. Most of all, my nerves are setlled down some. It's time to have the probe and see where we go from there. It's nice to have heard that it hasn't been too traumatic! JT just had his "neck" x-rays done, and I thought that was enough trauma for awhile, but the probe doesn't sound half as bad!
|
|
|
Post by nica1 on Mar 3, 2005 23:09:12 GMT -5
Our Adam had tear duct probe done when he was 1yr. old he is now 6, and it is no longer a problem for him. We actually had it done while he was also getting tubes put in the ears and both procedures were done in less then 20 min. although it felt like hours!!!!!! For some reason though I could be wrong but I believe we were told that your chances of this procedure working were better if it was done in his first year............. I will send out some prayers for your little guy that it will work, I remember feeling so bad for Adam although it didn't seem to bother him ...... Take care, Monica
|
|
|
Post by angela2 on Mar 4, 2005 13:48:40 GMT -5
My son Brandon had his tear ducts probed when he was 18 months old. I have to agree with some of the others who posted: it was a pretty simple procedure! He did have general anesthesia and it only took about 20 minutes. He was very cranky when he woke up, but as soon as we took him out of the hospital, he was OK. His eyes looked 100% better...no more crusty stuff! He is 3.5 yrs old now and we have never had any more problems with the tear ducts.
|
|
|
Post by Chester on Mar 9, 2005 20:54:15 GMT -5
I'm trying to remember what the opthamologist told us, was it that if they didn't clear up before he was 1, there was a good chance of them not doing so on their own? or was it that it is better to have them done before he was 1? We were blessed with the little guy when he was 8 months old, he was in foster care the first 8 months of his life. So to say the least, we dealt with the big stuff when we first got him....heart, reflux, etc.
Our little guy just turned three last week. We went in for the 3 year old check up, and ended up with a ton of other appointments, which has no lead to even more appointments.
He had his second hearing test this morning (the last one when he turned 2), and also his first visit with an ENT. It was decided today that JT will have his tonsils and adenoids taken out, his ears cleaned out really well and determined if he needs tubes AND his tear ducts probed......well I'm glad that he only has to be put under once?! I'm still kinda shell shocked, going in for a hearing test and coming out with surgery......ya just never know.
I'm so looking forward to having his tear ducts under control, his poor little frozen tears in the winter!
|
|
|
Post by kellyds on Mar 11, 2005 22:21:47 GMT -5
The tear duct in Joshua's left eye is blocked. I'm glad to know other parents have this problem. None of our other children have had that. I hadn't heard about using Johnson's Baby Shampoo for that purpose. I do know that that brand has an anesthetic in it that keeps it from burning eyes. That's why it's "No More Tears". I'll bet any shampoo would work, but they recommend Johnson's to keep it from hurting. Just I disagreeumption, of course. I've been just massaging his tear duct every time I change his diaper (AFTER I wash my hands, of course ! ) Maybe I'll try some Johnson's.
|
|
|
Post by RoseMary on Mar 15, 2005 22:44:57 GMT -5
Kristopher is 6 weeks old and his eyes have been running since the day he was born. But have only been crusty a few times. The first time it only lasted about 24 hours. This last time has been about a week though While at a "surprise baby shower" for Kristopher and I this past Friday, one of the soccer dads came over and showed me how to massage his eye, and he too suggested the Johnsons with a warm wash cloth. But he just said "to remove the crustyness, just use...." I just said I use warm water and a wash cloth. Of course after I got home and told my husband what had happen he said "oh you met the "eye doctor" of the group . Apparently we have several different professions in our soccer team parents. So I guess the advice came from a professional I'll be trying the Johnson's in the morning! We have to make an opthamologist appt soon anyway, he has an eye that turns out some, so we'll see what he says about the tearing. good question - glad you asked!!
|
|
|
Post by wrblack on Mar 16, 2005 10:46:08 GMT -5
Just a note for the parents of really little kids. Watery eyes due to fact that the tear ducts haven't finished developing is not at all unusual in newborns. Suspect it may be a bit more common in kids with Ds and preemies. Problem often goes away in a few weeks but can sometimes take a few months. If tear ducts are still not working at 1 yr. old and/or baby is having gooey eyes, then may need some attention. But all babies with Ds should get an exam by a pediatric ophthalmologist by age 6 mos., sooner if there's any sign of a problem. From the healthcare guidelines, "Pediatric ophthalmology evaluation by six months of age (earlier if nystagmus, strabismus or indications of poor vision are present)." -- Bob, a wannabe amateur ophthalmologist (possibly dangerous)
|
|
|
Post by gavinsmom on Apr 10, 2005 13:54:21 GMT -5
My son ( whos 8 ) just had the tear duct sugery and after 2 weeks of rubbing his eyes the tube came 1/2 out of his eye but wouldnt come all the way because it is grounded through the nose.. so he had to go back in and have them removed... poor baby.. he hated them! His eyes still tear.. but thats nothing compared to the black eyes he cause himself to have by being irrated by the tubes they put in!
|
|
|
Post by Chris on Apr 10, 2005 18:41:54 GMT -5
I absolutely hated those stupid tubes in Sarah's eyes! She never managed to pull them out, thank goodness! She had them taken out in December but it didn't seem to improve her blockage. She got an upper respiratory infection in February and was put on a decongestant and Zithromax. To my amazement, her eyes weren't gooey anymore! Her eyes have been free of goo for two months now. I hope this isn't just temporary but it is the longest she has gone without conjunctivitis since she was born.
Chris
|
|
|
Post by kristin on Apr 12, 2005 11:17:51 GMT -5
Its been awhile since your original post, and maybe you've already had something done by now...
We were just at the eye doctor's yesterday, and he wants to do a second surgery (third if you count the original probe) on Cole's (who will be three next week) eyes. We did the probing (no sedation, just a straight jacket -- painful for a mom to watch!) when he was 14 mos. old, and it didn't work. So, we got a second opinion from another doc, who suggested, much to our chagrin, that Cole have a much more invasive surgery to insert tubes and "move" (read as BREAK) the tiny bones in his face, next to his nose, to make some more room in there. We were horrified to think of this, but the doc assured us it wouldn't really hurt -- yeah, right! But we did it anyway, when he was 19 mos., because both doctors really emphasized, like you said, that if it hadn't cleared up by the time he was 1 yr. it probably wouldn't get better on its own, and all of the "home remedies" we had tried (Johnsons baby shampoo included!) didn't work. Anyway, during the surgery, which was supposed to be 15 -20 min., but ended up at over an hour, the doctor discovered that Cole actually never developed upper ducts on his left eye (which I guess is not that uncommon, and not necessarily related to DS, but probably the biggest reason that his left eye is much tearier than the right.)
That surgery was over a year ago (16 mos. ago, actually) and the tearing did improve, but like your little man, Cole gets really drippy when it is cold, windy, or really bright. The doctor says it is "unacceptable" for him to live his life with a drippy eye or eyes. He wants to go back in and "move the bone" even further, and reinsert the tubes. We are really torn about it. I know he will likely not remember the surgery if we do it now, when he is young, but I really don't want to see him go through that again. His tubes did bother him, especially at first; they were in for 10 mos. before he pulled them out. However, I also want him to have the highest quality of life that he can, so we will continue our debate and try to decide something in the next few weeks.
Good luck to you -- it is so hard to make these decisions for our kids. Hopefully you will have success the first time, but I guess some tear ducts are just stubborn!!
|
|