HELP PLEASE! Something clogging up DS's eyes besides clogged ducts?? - UPDATE

[kfcboston]

Please - any insight would be appreciated! My DS has been very fussy last two days. Last night he slept well, but woke up very early. This afternoon I started noticing a lot of stuff in both his eyes to go along with the fussiness and bad napping, but no temp.

Does anyone have any ideas as to why both his eyes have started clogging up simultaneously along with increased fussiness??

TIA!!

UPDATE - Well, it's an A+ for all you mommies! He has his first ear infection and is being treated with Zithromax for 3 days. You guys are GOOD. Thanks again!

[parkersmama]

It could be the eye gook that you sometimes get with a cold. Amy Grace's colds seem to often start with the eyes and then move elsewhere. That's usually the first place I notice something amiss with her and then in the next day or two she'll have a runny nose, etc.

Another possibility is pink eye (conjunctivitis). It is a yucky eye infection...either viral or bacterial, depending. This often also accompanies a cold. If you notice that the white part of his eyes are red (overly bloodshot looking) or the inside of his eyelids are extremely red, it's time to call the doctor. Most times they will prescribe antibiotic eyedrops for you to use with him. Of course, if it's viral, the eyedrops don't help. It often take a week for viral pink eye to clear up. Be very, very careful about washing your hands and make sure to use a separate towel, washcloth, etc., for ds until it all clears up. Pink eye is extremely contagious!! If it sounds like I know a lot about this, that's because I always get it whenever it goes around and I just got over a bout of it in the fall. YUCK!

HTH!

[nohomama]

I recently had a very bad cold/sinus infection and one of my symptoms was waking up with a lot of eye goo. Seriously, I'd wipe my eye with a tissue and it would look as if I'd just blown my nose. Ugh. When I saw my doctor he said that if the nasal passages are clogged or espeically irritated, the sinuses will drain via the tear ducts

Does your son seem stuffy at all? Even if he's doesn't, I'd say that since he's fussy and obviously not sleeping well (both good indicators of a sick baby) a call or visit to the ped is in order.

[nohomama]

Yes, yes. I meant to mention conjuctivitis too. I second Denise's suggestions about hand washing and separate towels. Conjunctivitis is actually no more contagious than the common cold but with infants and toddlers that means something entirely different than with adults.

[macassi]

Eye drainage can also be a symptom of an ear infection. That's why most doctors require an office visit for eye gunk, as it can be a clogged duct, pink eye, sinus infection, or ear infection. Everything is so related and so small in a baby that it is hard to tell. I'd definitely recommend a visit to your pediatrician, since you say that your baby is fussy and not sleeping well. Ear infections cause the most pain when the baby is flat. If he continues to be fussy tonight, you might want to start some Tylenol, which may make for a better night for both of you.

[kfcboston]

Thank you, thank you all! Yes, he IS stuffed up so I guess any of these possibilities are present. Just spoke with the on-call nurse, who said to contact the ped first thing, and in the meantime, when he's up, to keep the eyes cleaned out.

Oh, and I already gave him some Tylonel right before my initial post. :) But he's still fussin' a little. Poor little guy. And I have major issues with eyedrops (and have never had pink eye), and I'm hoping to heck it's not already too late for me!

Thanks again everyone! We'll see what the doc has to say........

[kransden]

When that happened to dd along with a cold, she also had an ear infection (her first). Gunky eyes are one of the signs. Since she never had an ear infection before, I didn't know. The ped will fix him right up.

Karin and Katie 10/24/02