Chalazions / styes

[mummylonglegs]

Anyone else's kids suffered with these? Dd's nearly 3 and has 2 chalazions deeply set in the inner bottom eyelid of each eye. They are quite large and get pretty red and angry looking.

She's had 3 lots of antibiotic drops from the GP and I'm trying to do hot compresses but she hates it and certainly won't stay still to have them for 20 mins 4 times a day.

Any tips or experiences?

TIA

[mummylonglegs]

anyone?

[Medea]

Ds had this . .but doesn't seem to have been as severe as your dd's current problem.

My father is an eye doctor and he really pushes the hot compresses as one of the most effective treatments. . .I have no tips on how you get your dd to be more accepting of the compresses (my ds, who was a little older at the time, was more compliant) but i think you have to find a way. Bribery? As for 20 minutes. . .well, that sounds excessive to me. I think 10 minutes 4 times a day should be sufficient. But I do think they're imperative, as important as the drops, if not more important. Good luck, MLL.

[mummylonglegs]

Thanks Medea. I'm really trying with the hot compresses. The thing is, dd hates hot water. Her bath is always almost cold, even lukewarm she says is 'too hot' and won't get in. So getting even warm water near her eye is impossible. I tried for ages this morning but even when it was lukewarm she wouldn't let me near her.

[Medea]

That's a bummer, MLL. Hmmm. . . I'll ask my dad if there are any effective alternatives to hot compresses if I manage to speak to him today, as I hope to.

[mummylonglegs]

Thank you so much, Medea. I'd appreciate that.

[mummylonglegs]

anyone else?

[iris66]

Have you considered Eyebright? You can get it from most health food shops now.

[Medea]

MLL: my dad is out, so I asked my brother, another ophthalmologist. . .brother says really hot compresses are the besthot as they can get w/out burningbut concedes that if your dd will not let anything warm even NEAR her. . .well, there's nothing really to be done, and the chalazia will go on their own.

My father once recommended that dh, who had a bad chalazion, take a q-tip (what are they called in this country? A cotton swab?) and massaging the chalazion in an attempt to break the tissue down. . .I asked my brother about this technique, but he dismissed it and said he's never heard of such a thing.

Sorry I can't help more MLL. We always seem to wind up on medical threads together. (I was formerly expatkat)

[mummylonglegs]

expatkat! Wow ... I'd never have known, great name, what a heroine. Are you back in the UK these days? How are you doing? Thanks for asking your family for me. I'll have another go with dd and a hot compress tomorrow.

[Medea]

How are dd's eyes today, mummylonglegs?

I spoke to dad finally today. . .(was due to catch up with him anyway). . .he concurred with my brother & says just leave it alone if yr dd won't tolerate hot compresses. The cotton bud thing is for something different: scar tissue due to old chalazia that didn't heal properly. He said DO NOT massage a new, angry chalazion--it'll just spread the infection.

Yeah, I'm back in London, MLL, and fine at the moment. . .thanks for asking. How are you?

[twirlaround]

Styes are helped by rubbing gold on them eg a ring but I don't know what a chalazion is?

[Medea]

chalazia and styes are the same thing. . .

Gold might well be helpful, but I'd worry about rubbing anything on a style, really. . .it could spread the infection.

[mummylonglegs]

Thanks Medea. I'm not too bad really. Up and down.

Sorry to be a pain again, but does your dad think these chalazions almost always normally just clear up on their own? Any kind of time scale?

[mummylonglegs]

Are you still managing to write by the way? How did your fellowship go?

[Medea]

Hiya. Yes, they almost always clear up on their own. About 7-10 days at the most. How long has dd had it?

I noticed on another thread that you were diagnosed with WPW & it's being treated (thank goodness! that took ages!) Are you tolerating the meds OK?

The fellowship was great (ended spring 2004). I was approached by a publisher shortly thereafter, and my first poetry collection comes out next fall. Do you have time for your own work, or are you too busy with dd & your job at the moment?

(Wow. . .shameless thread hijack. At least it's your thread!)

[mummylonglegs]

Medea, dd's had them for a good month, maybe more, that's why I got a bit concerned. If anything they've got bigger and spread, certainly show no signs of going. The GP said they might last for 10 weeks!

Yes, thanks, the meds are ok. I still get nasty 'turns' though and seem to have almost constant headaches which may be stress, I don't know really any more.

I'd LOVE to read your collection! Could you CAT me details or would you prefer it to remain anonymous?

[Medea]

I just CAT'd you MLL.

[mummylonglegs]

Mailed you back medea!

[GrayStar23]

Hi, just wondering what the outcome on this was ? I’m having a very similar and worrying situation with my daughter who is also nearly 3!