Esotropia in a child treated with a scopolamine patch for drooling

Drooling in children who have neurodevelopmental disabilities can pose a substantial problem. Recent studies have indicated that, because of its anticholinergic effect, the use of a scopolamine patch may help eliminate drooling. The ease of administration of the patch, coupled with its very low side-effect Profile, adds to its desirability. However, we want to alert caregivers to a problem we attribute to the scopolamine patch. Esotropia developed in one of our patients when scopolamine transdermal patching was done. The esotropia resolved shortly after cessation of patching.

CASE REPORT

This 4-year-old boy has spastic quadriplegia, a significant developmental delay, a well-controlled seizure disorder, and microcephaly secondary to a neonatal cerebrovascular hemorrhage associated with a protein C deficiency clotting disorder.