Conjunctivitis in Children: Symptoms and Treatments
October 5, 2021
Conjunctivitis commonly referred to as Pink Eye, is an eye infection that is highly contagious. It’s most common in children and causes red, itchy eyes with discharge. The good news is that there are treatments available to help with the symptoms of Conjunctivitis. We will review some of these below so you can find the best treatment for your child!
There are a few different types of Conjunctivitis, but most often it’s caused by a bacterial or viral infection. In infants under six months old, they can also get Conjunctivitis from their mothers as they pass through the birth canal.
Conjunctivitis has symptoms that are easily recognizable. These include:
- inflammation of the eye
- redness of the clear membrane covering the white part of the eye and inner surface of the eyelids
- yellow or green discharge from the eye
- crusty eyelashes
- itching or burning eyes.
The best treatment for Conjunctivitis is to treat the symptoms until it clears up naturally which can take anywhere from a few days to over two weeks. It’s important that you keep your child away from others while they are sick and wash your hands frequently with soap and water, especially after changing their diaper or wiping their eyes.
If they have a bacterial infection of Conjunctivitis, oral antibiotics may help as well as eye drops that include antibiotic/steroid combination products you can get from your child's physician.
There are also some home remedies you can try to help treat your child’s Conjunctivitis symptoms, such as artificial tears, cleaning your eyelids with a wet cloth, and applying cold or warm compresses on their eyes for up to 15 minutes several times a day. After the infection has cleared up, it’s important that you bring them back in to see their pediatrician for a follow-up visit.
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