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Infant With Yellowish Discharge From Eye, Boil Near The Eye. Given T-bact And Tobrex Eye Drop. Is This The Proper Medication?

Posted on Sun, 24 Jun 2012

Question: Hi, im from India, my daughter is one month old and she has been having yellow discharge from one of eye since birth. Since the last two days, a small red boil has developed inbetween the eye and the nose. We took her to the doctor yday and he said it was normal in most of the children these days. He has given us an eye cream called T-bact and an eye drop called tobrex need your advise if we are doing the rite thing. Will the boil break open with this medication. And how long will the yellow discharge continue

Answered by Dr. Dr. Yogesh D (2 hours later)

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for posting your query.

From your history I presume is that your daughter has an obstructed nasolacrimal duct (a small tube which drains tears in to the nose) with infection in the area.

Few children are born with an obstruction in this passage and usually with passage of time it resolves.

In case it does not resolve, you should consult your neonatologist and the ophthalmologist who can assess the condition and will guide you regarding the future course of action.

But a continuous yellow discharge from the eyes is not good sign. It could be due to an infection in the eyes, but luckily these infections can be treated with the appropriate medicines, such as the ones given to you. The eye drops and the ointment should take care of the issue.

But in case the boil does not resolve and if it becomes swollen with the surrounding skin also being red, then you should take her to a pediatrician or a neonatologist at the earliest. I am saying this because in newborn babies the immunity is pretty low and chances of a trivial infection becoming serious are very much possible.

For now these antibiotic eye drops and ointment should do the job, but considering the age of your daughter I would prefer to add a systemic antibiotic(Given by mouth) in addition to the local antibiotic.

My suggestion to you would be to consult her neonatologist to assess the severity of the condition so that if needed an oral antibiotic may be added.

Hope I have answered your query. Please do write back if you have any additional concerns.

Wishing your daughter a speedy recovery.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Yogesh D (18 hours later)

Thanks for your answer, i did take her to the doctor. He said it was Dacryocystitis, he has given necessary treatment. Wanted to know how long this will take to heal. Also, she has now got a blocked nose and finding it difficult to breathe. What can be done for it, is baby vicks rub good to use

Answered by Dr. Dr. Yogesh D (4 hours later)

Hi XXXXXXX

Thanks for the follow-up.

I understand your concern.

I understand that you have already taken your daughter for a consultation with her doctor and he has prescribed certain local antibiotics for the condition.

My suggestions in my previous reply were in fact in addition to her current medications.

With appropriate medications it should not take more than a week's time for this condition to heal up.

So if the boil persists for more than 1 week you should get her examined again.

But my worry is, in small babies any small infection can lead to very serious systemic infection called septicemia, that is the reason I suggested you to take her to a neonatologist, to get a systemic antibiotic prescribed in addition to the eye ointment and drops.

Please do not use vicks rub.

Nasal blockage also indicates that the infection is spreading from the eyes into the nose.

So it will be worth visiting your neonatologist to get her evaluated again.

Hope I have answered your query. Please revert back if you have additional queries.

Wishing your baby a speedy recovery.

Regards.

Note: For further queries related to your child health, Talk to a Pediatrician. Click here to Book a Consultation.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T