Pediatrician's Office and Blocked Tear Ducts in Kids

Pediatrician's Office and Blocked Tear Ducts in Kids Dr. Jim Sears: So somebody have a rash in here? Female: At the back in the—before but now it’s the back and the base and the hands and the feet. Dr. Jim Sears: Does this itch? Female: A bit. Dr. Jim Sears: Okay, how about some deep breath. Good job. Is this getting worse or better or just things—. Female: I would say it’s getting better. Dr. Jim Sears: Generally, it looks like an allergic reaction. If they start getting dark like bruises then that would bother me. Otherwise, we can maybe just follow-up in a couple of weeks. Female: Okay. Dr. Jim Sears: Hi, Ms. Gracey, can I look in your ears? Female: She’s got another ear infection. Dr. Jim Sears: Certainly, she meets the criteria to consider tube. Female: I heard good things and then I hear well as soon as the tube fell out they’ll probably get an ear infection again. Dr. Jim Sears: It’s still benefit from having them in. We will start her antibiotics keep our fingers crossed for the next month, if this infection go away with the season and maybe avoid tubes. Okay, we’re ready for Jack. Hey, buddy. You’re combing your hair. Come on back, follow me, okay. So Jack is about to turn one right? Bob: Yes. Dr. Jim Sears: He’s plugged up tear duct and he had that since he was born. Bob: Correct. Dr. Jim Sears: Does he have a goop coming out of his eye pretty much everyday? Bob: Between the left eye. Dr. Jim Sears: Did anybody ever show how to do the massage? Lucy: Yes. Dr. Jim Sears: You just kind of gently rubbing where the duct is, a couple of times a day for a while and often times it helps open up the duct. Lucy: Do you do that inwards? Dr. Jim Sears: You’re kind of trying to go up and out. So you kind of rolling it like that. I would maybe, let say let’s give it two months. Dr. Travis Stork: We have beautiful Jack and his proud parents, Bob and Lucy here with us. Thank you all. Lucy: Thank you Dr. Travis Stork: So Jim what do you see obstructed tear ducts quite a bit in your practice? Pediatrician: Sure, it’s actually pretty common about six percent of babies will have an obstructed tear duct. They are born with it and that’s you know, usually not a big deal except that it can lead to some eye infections. You know a lot of people want to know what an obstructed tear duct is. Essentially there is a duct that goes from the inner corner of the eye down into the nose. That’s why when you cry you kind of get a runny nose, because tears are going into your nose and some babies that’s obstructed from birth and so the tears pull up in the eye and that’s why the tears are always kind of running over his eye a little bit and with those tears can kind of mucus up a little bit sometimes lead to infections. Lucy: So would you say if it’s not gone in a couple of months, so definitely look into it again? Pediatrician: As long as he stays symptom free and terms he is not getting eye infections, you could watch this for several months and keep doing the massage and hopefully, you know a lot of them will still open up, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed hopefully it will open up. Dr. Travis Stork: You know, there’s a little bit like you had a patient where you talked about putting tubes—as long as babies or in kids are doing well, you don’t have to always jump to the next steps. Dr. Jim Sears: A lot of pediatrics knowing when to wait and when to go to treatment. Dr. Travis Stork: And I think you have a couple of happy parents and a good looking young man to boot.