Endocrine Glands – Eyelids
Location of endocrine glands
**Endocrine glands produce hormones that regulate growth, sexual
development, metabolism, and other body functions.
Endocrine glands produce vital chemical substances called hormones.
Hormones regulate body growth and shape and various functions of the
body. Endocrine glands are also called the ductless glands because their
hormones enter the bloodstream directly instead of through ducts.
The “master” endocrine gland is the pituitary. This gland, approximately
the size of the end of your thumb, produces many hormones. One hormone
regulates a child’s growth. Other hormones regulate other endocrine
glands—thyroid, adrenal, and sex glands.
The thyroid gland produces thyroid hormone, which regulates metabolism
(chemical process of utilizing foods). The adrenal glands produce
hormones that regulate growth, sexual development, sugar metabolism, and
the use of salt. Part of the pancreatic gland produces insulin, which
regulates the use of sugar within the body. The sex glands produce
hormones that affect growth and the development of masculine or feminine
characteristics, [m.g.]
Enema is the introduction of fluid into the intestine through the
rectum to flush the colon. The fluid remains in the intestine for a
short time and, when eliminated, it washes out feces from the bowels.
Enemas are usually given to empty the bowels before certain types of
surgery.
Never use enemas unless a doctor has prescribed them. The doctor may do
so in the rare case of an impaction (a severe piling up of feces in the
bowels). But constipation is best treated by a prescribed diet and
increased exercise. Regular use of enemas for constipation may have
harmful effects.
They may make a mild case of constipation more severe, because they
tend to destroy the healthy muscle tone of the bowels.They may frighten a young child.
They may make a child focus too much attention on the anus and
bowels.They are uncomfortable physically, [m.g.]
See also Constipation
Enuresis. See Wetting
Epilepsy is a chronic (long-lasting) disorder of the nervous system.
Some forms cause convulsions and loss of consciousness. The exact cause
of epilepsy is unknown, but it may be the result of any condition or
disease that affects the brain. Many epileptic patients have some brain
damage due to infection or a tumor, or as the result of an injury.
Types of epilepsy. The two most common types of epilepsy are known
as grand mal (pronounced “gran mahl”) and petit mal (pronounced
“petty mahl”). Some doctors prefer to use the term “convulsive seizures”
for grand mal and the term “absence attacks” for petit mal.
A child who has a grand mal seizure loses consciousness and falls. The
child’s muscles may stiffen or become rigid. The child then begins to
twitch and jerk, first rapidly, then more slowly but more violently.
Saliva may flow more freely during convulsions and not be swallowed, and
the child may lose bowel and bladder control. The convulsions usually
last only a few minutes, but afterward the child may sleep for a time.
Seizures are dramatic and frightening, but children rarely suffer
serious injury during them. You cannot do much for a child suffering an
epileptic seizure except place a coat, pillow, or folded blankets under
the head, loosen clothing, and remove objects from the path of moving
arms and legs. After the attack, you should turn the child on one side.
In a petit mal seizure, the child loses consciousness for a few seconds,
but usually can maintain balance and does not fall. The child may appear
dazed momentarily after the seizure, but soon resumes conversation or
normal activity. Petit mal seizures occur frequently, perhaps dozens in
a single day. These seizures may interfere more with a child’s learning
than will the infrequent grand mal seizures, because they repeatedly
interrupt the child’s concentration.
Not all convulsions are caused by epilepsy. An infant with a high fever
may have convulsions. If the child is younger than 4, and if the
convulsions occur only with a fever— and not very often at that—the
convulsions will probably cease to be a problem by the time the child is
about 6 years old. However, if the convulsions occur without fever and
continue after the child is older, the doctor will probably suspect
epilepsy.
Any child suffering from convulsions should have immediate medical
attention. Parents should be completely frank in describing the child’s
convulsions, in reporting head injuries or illnesses involving high
fevers, and in recalling any history of convulsions in the family. The
doctor, who seldom is able to observe the seizure, will need this
information and the results of diagnostic tests to make a proper
diagnosis. The doctor probably will request that an
electroencephalographic study be made. This is a painless recording of
the brain’s activity picked up by sensitive wires that are pasted to the
child’s scalp. (See [Electroencephalography,] pages
231-232.) The electroencephalogram, or EEG, appears on paper as an ink
tracing of parallel, wavy lines.
Drugs can eliminate or reduce seizures in about 85 per cent of all
epileptics, but some time may be required before the doctor can
determine the proper combinations and dosages of drugs. Success of the
treatment for
epilepsy will depend largely upon how carefully and continually the
doctor’s instructions are followed.
Day-to-day living. Epileptic children need the same affectionate
guidance, patient understanding, and satisfactions from life that all
children need. Epilepsy itself is usually not a serious handicap, but
the attitudes of adults and the child’s playmates may create
difficulties. Parents of an epileptic child should tell friends and
neighbors about their child’s condition and give them accurate
information about epilepsy.
However, epilepsy, if not properly controlled by medication, may impose
some restrictions on a child’s life. Swimming, bicycle riding, climbing,
driving, and other activities may have to be limited. Most epileptic
children can go to school. However, the parents of an epileptic child
should inform the principal, teacher, and school nurse about the child’s
condition. An explanatory note from the child’s doctor may also be
helpful in case the child has a seizure at school and needs help.
[a.g.s.]
See also Convulsions: Electroencephalography; Fever
Eye, objects in the. Your child will tell you immediately if there
is something in his or her eye, because it hurts. An infant will
probably cry and mb the eyes.
Do not try to remove an object from your child’s eye. Most foreign
objects are washed out in a few moments by the extra tears the in-itated
eye produces. If the object does not wash out, call a doctor or take the
child to a hospital. Many amateur attempts to remove objects from an eye
result in loss of sight, usually from infection.
If a harmful fluid gets into your child’s eye, wash the eye immediately
with plenty of water. After you apply first aid, call your doctor. If
you cannot reach the doctor, take the child to a hospital emergency
room.
If an eye is injured by a sharp object such as a dart, an arrow, or a
knife, do not try to open the eyelids. Cover the injured eye with a
clean cloth and take the child to a doctor or to the emergency room of
the nearest hospital, [r.o.s.]
See also Eyelids
Eyeglasses. Eyeglasses cannot cure poor eyesight, but in many cases
they can help a child see better. Even when a child has no obvious eye
defect, parents should be alert to signs of eye trouble. This is
especially true of 2-year-olds. By this age a child’s eyes should be
functioning effectively. But if the child overreaches or underreaches
when trying to grasp objects, seems overly sensitive to bright light, or
squints or rubs the eyes excessively, there may be some visual
deficiency.
Children should have a complete eye examination by the time they reach 3
or 4 years of age. They should have frequent reexaminations as they grow
and their eyes change. If a serious visual deficiency is neglected in a
preschooler, by the time the child is ready for school even glasses may
not be of much help.
Parents should remember that often young schoolchildren with blurry
vision may not complain about it, because they think everyone sees as
they do. A schoolchild who is mentally, emotionally, and physically
healthy, but fails to keep up with classmates, may have a visual
problem. The child may misbehave in class because of frustration over
the inability to see clearly. Often, parents and teachers find that when
such a child begins to wear glasses, learning and behavioral problems
tend to lessen and disappear.
Children who wear glasses need not wear them all the time unless the
doctor tells them that they should. Some children need to wear glasses
only when reading or doing close work. If this is the case with your
child, let the teacher know so that the child can be helped to use the
glasses to the greatest advantage. Teach your child to take care of the
glasses. Show the child how to put them on and take them off without
stretching the earpieces, how to keep the glasses clean, and how to
handle them without scratching the lenses.
Eye health. A good rule for the care of normal eyes is to leave them
alone except for periodic medical examinations. When eyes seem abnormal
in any respect, a complete eye examination is in order. Attempts
at self-diagnosis and self-treatment of eye disorders can be disastrous.
Contrary to popular opinion, no known exercises will correct
near-sightedness, farsightedness, or defective color vision. Also, extra
vitamins or special foods rarely help. The varied diet of food available
to most people in the United States and Canada contains all the vitamins
needed for eye health.
Infants. For the first several weeks of life, a baby sheds no tears
when crying. Infants produce only enough tears to keep their eyes moist.
Tears drain through two small openings in the inner corner of each
eyelid into a tiny sac and then enter the nose, causing it to “run.”
Occasionally, this tear system becomes blocked and tears constantly run
over the edges of the lid. Or the tear sac near the nose may swell. If
this happens, call your doctor.
In the first few weeks of life a baby’s eyes look crossed at times. Do
not be alarmed at this lack of eye coordination. Let your doctor decide
if the condition warrants attention. But if the baby’s eyes are
constantly out of line at 6 months of age, your doctor will probably
refer your child for a special eye examination. If treatment is started
early enough, it can often eliminate the need for surgery.
Older children. All children should have a complete eye examination
before they enter the first grade. About 1 out of 5 of the children
examined will need help with some visual problem. In most states,
children receive visual screening tests when they enter school. However,
rather than count on the tests at school to discover if your child has a
visual problem, it is wiser to have your child’s eyes examined
beforehand. Then have your child’s eyes examined every two years.
Also, be alert to the following danger signs which can indicate eye
difficulty: ■ The child frequently stumbles or bumps into furniture.
The child squints, frowns, or blinks excessively while reading.
The child holds reading material close to the eyes.
The child has sore or unusually red eyes or eyelids.
Good lighting and correct posture ensure more efficient use of the eyes
and often prevent eye discomfort. Do not restrict reading to save your
child’s eyesight. Restrictions can actually prevent the development of
visual ability. Like muscular ability, visual ability improves with
practice and use.
Distinct contrasts in lighting may contribute to eye fatigue, as when a
child watches television in a darkened room or studies at a desk where a
single lamp leaves the rest of the room in darkness. Some other light
should be on in the room.
To read well, a child must be able to see well. But if tests show the
eyes to be normal, if the child’s I.Q. is normal, and if the child still
is having difficulty in reading, the child should be checked for a
learning disability. Because of some learning disabilities, some
children who see words clearly find it almost impossible to understand
their meanings. If this appears to be true of your child, consult your
doctor.
Accidents. In the United States alone, children suffer about 95,000
serious eye accidents each year. About a thousand of these cases are so
severe that the child loses the sight in one or both eyes. Most of these
accidents could have been prevented.
Do not allow your child to handle sharp- pointed scissors, a bow and
arrow, or sharp tools until mature enough to understand the dangers
involved.
If your child suffers an eye injury, get professional help immediately.
Do not put liquid into the eye (except to wash out irritants such as
acid or gasoline). Gently cover the eye, and take the child to a doctor,
[r.o.s.]
See also Astigmatism; Color blindness; Conjunctivitis; Cross-eye;
Dyslexia; Eyelids; Far-sightedness; Near-sightedness
Eyelids protect the eyes and help keep them clean. Any disease of
the eyelids should be checked by a doctor.
A sty, a common disease of the eyelid, is an infection in one of the
glands in an eyelid. It is a small boil that forms at the lid edge.
Usually it comes to a head, breaks, drains, and cures itself. Warm
compresses held against the sty may hasten the process and relieve minor
irritations.
One sty often leads to another because as a sty breaks and drains, it
can infect other areas of the eyelid. To avoid this, your doctor may
recommend antibiotic eye ointments or drops. If your child has one sty
after another, consult your child’s doctor.
Other, diseases of the eyelids may produce redness, burning, itching,
crusting, or swelling of the lids. There may also be tumors or notches
in the eyelids, or the lid margin may be red. Any persistent change in
this area should be seen by a doctor, [r.o.s.]
See also Conjunctivitis; Eye health
Eyestrain. See Eye health; Far-sightedness; Near-sightedness
