Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva) is a fairly common disease. It does not bypass very young children. Conjunctivitis in a newborn requires a mandatory examination by a specialist and does not allow self-medication. Coping with this disease is not so difficult, provided that the doctor’s recommendations are strictly followed.
Conjunctivitis in children
Depending on the cause or causative agent of the disease, conjunctivitis is divided into several types. Allocate viral, allergic, chlamydial and bacterial conjunctivitis, and bacterial can be caused by various types of bacteria, including gonococci and streptococci. Viral conjunctivitis is caused by adenovirus, enterovirus, or herpes simplex virus. In addition, toxic substances that irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes can be the cause of conjunctivitis.
In children, both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are equally common. Gonococcal and chlamydial conjunctivitis, children of the first days of life, as a rule, become infected when passing through the birth canal if the mother is sick with gonorrhea or chlamydia. The source of infection can also be medical personnel who are careless about hygiene, or the mother of the newborn.
The main signs of the disease are swelling and redness of the mucous membrane of the eyes. The eyelids may also swell, the child is restless due to itching and burning, rubs his eyes, reacts to bright light with crying, and tearing is often observed.
Herpetic conjunctivitis may be accompanied by the appearance of vesicles on the mucous membrane of the eye
The bacterial forms of the disease are characterized by profuse discharge from the eyes, sometimes even sticking together the eyelids, this is especially noticeable after sleep. In some forms of conjunctivitis, thin films can form on the lining of the eyelids.
The sooner the child is examined by a doctor, the better. To determine the cause of the disease, you will have to pass tests, including a smear from the mucous membrane of the eye. After that, the specialist will select a treatment regimen.
If conjunctivitis is caused by exposure to an allergen, it will be necessary to determine what exactly caused the allergy in the baby – it may be animal hair, pillow or mattress filler, detergent. This conjunctivitis is treated with antihistamines.
With viral conjunctivitis, more attention is paid to the underlying disease, and the doctor may also prescribe antiviral eye drops.
Bacterial conjunctivitis is treated only with antibiotics, it is impossible to select them yourself in any case. The conjunctival sac is washed with antiseptic solutions, antibacterial drugs are prescribed in the form of drops or ointments. It is absolutely forbidden to rinse the baby’s eyes with tea, unboiled water or instill breast milk in the eyes!
If the disease has affected only one eye of the child, you need to make sure that the baby does not touch the healthy eye, while transferring the infection. After treating the sore eye, wash your hands immediately.
Those who live next to a child, and especially those who are directly involved in caring for a newborn, need to pay more attention to personal hygiene. It is better to give up long nails for a while; wash your hands thoroughly before treating the baby’s eyes. You cannot touch the affected eye with a pipette, with which drops are injected into the eye, in addition, it will need to be boiled daily.
Also interesting to read: wounds on the face.