Block Tear Duct in 23 Month Old

[Kungjo]

Since birth, DD #2 has had problems with a blocked tear duct 3 different times. She's currently getting over one and when I took her in to her pediatrician, he said that usually, kids this age no longer have this problem. He referred us to an Opthamalogist for further evaluation and said that he will let the Opthamalogist decide whether or not to probe her.

We have an appointment on the 26th. For moms who have experienced this problem with their DC, what is the procedure like? It's a hospital procedure right? Do they treat it like major surgery with food and liquid restrictions after midnight? It's a small issue for some, but how do you not feed a 23 month old when she's hungry? DH said that we will deal with it when it's time, but I would like to know in advance what the procedure is like. Anyone experience this?

I'm a worry wart when it comes to my kids so I am stressing over it as we speak. Part of me is like, I don't want to do it because I'm afraid that it will traumitize her. But part of me is also thinking that the sooner we get it done, then the sooner she will not have this problem. Argh! What to do. Sigh!

Thanks in Advance.

[octmom]

My DD had a blocked tear that the opthalmologist was able to open in his office when she was ~7 months old, with local anesthetic drops only. If you search for my name and blocked tear duct, you should find a post from me back in October about this. Her doctor said he could only do this with very young infants, but it might be worth asking your doctor about anyway.

My DS got tubes in his ears when he was ~20 months. He had to go under general anesthesia for that. His surgery was scheduled for first thing in the morning, which our hospital does for young kids. I think we were told nothing by mouth after midnight, but I could be misremembering, it may have been earlier. We had to be at the hospital at around 6 am, IIRC. Some folks say that their kids were allowed "clear liquids", including breastmilk until closer to the surgery. My DS was still nursing at the time, but I didn't nurse him that morning, since we had been instructed otherwise and I didn't ask about breastmilk. I thought it would be a huge problem for DS, but it was OK. I did nurse him first thing in the recovery room.

Good luck!

Jerilyn
DS, 10/03
DD, 3/06

[dhano923]

My DD had the procedure done when she was 12 months old. We went to the hospital at 6am, and we were able to leave by 9:30am. We couldn't give her food/drink after 10pm the previous night, but that was ok because DD sleeps through the night anyway.

The actual procedure took only about 10 minutes, but you have to go early for tests, prep, then they give general anathesia, then the procedure, then recovery. She was awake about 10 minutes after she came out, but crying heavily - she was hungry. I had to wait about 45 minutes to give her a bottle because they had to make sure the anathesia had worn off enough (otherwise she'd thow up). Her eye was swollen for a day and there was slight bruising for a couple days but that was it.

I'm glad we had it done - DD used to wake up with her eye glued together from the discharge and I always felt so bad. This was a temporary discomfort that fixed the long term problem.

[Snugglibumkins]

My DD had this done at 14 months old. She came out of the recovery room sitting up on the stretcher waving to everyone as she came down the hallway. It was a positive experience for us.