Today letme concentrate on
- What is conjunctivitis?
- Is conjunctivitis contagious?
- How is conjunctivitis treated?
- How can I prevent my baby from getting conjunctivitis?
- When should I call a doctor if I think my baby has conjunctivitis?
What is conjunctivitis?
Conjunctivitis is an eye infection that can be triggered by a virus, bacteria or an allergen. If your baby has conjunctivitis, the white part of her eyes will turn reddish or pink. It might also cause the eyes to itch.There are three types of conjunctivitis:
- Bacterial, which produces a thick yellow discharge that causes the eyelids to swell and stick together.
- Viral, which is accompanied by flu-like symptoms such as a cold or cough.
- Allergic, which is caused by exposure to irritants such as pollen, smoke, dust or pet fur. Unless your baby has prolonged exposure to such irritants, this form of conjunctivitis is not common in babies under a year old.
Viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious.Your baby can get conjunctivitis only if she is in direct contact with an infected person.When an infected person wipes his eyes, the germs pass on to his hands. And when he touches anybody or anything with unwashed hands, the germs spread.So touching handkerchiefs, towels, tissues, pillows or cushions used by an infected person can pass on the germs.
How is conjunctivitis treated?
Infectious conjunctivitis is usually caused by bacteria. If your baby has this, your doctor will prescribe antibiotic eye drops. If it's a mild case, you could wipe your baby's eyes with cotton wool soaked in cold water.
If your baby has allergic conjunctivitis, your doctor will prescribe antihistamines for her. You will be able to tell what gave your baby the allergy. For example, your child may get red eyes when a tree next to your house is in full bloom. So try as far as possible to keep your baby away from the allergen. If pollen is the trigger, keep your child away from blooming trees. If you feel that dust is a trigger, try to keep your child protected on windy days.Also make sure that her hair does not fall into her eyes. Hair can carry dust to the eyes and give your baby conjunctivitis. In such cases, a quick trim will do the trick.
How can I prevent my baby from getting conjunctivitis?
If there is a family member who has conjunctivitis or if it is 'in the air', you can minimize the risks of your baby catching it by being aware of the infection and taking the right precautions. Here are some tips:
- Request a family member with conjunctivitis to keep away from your baby until they are fully clear of the infection.If family members caring for your baby are infected, you may want to consider making alternate child care arrangements for a while.
- Good hygiene goes a long way. Ask all family members (infected and non-infected) to throw their used tissues and cotton balls into a covered dustbin. They should also wash their hands frequently.
- Ensure that towels, handkerchiefs, pillows, tissues and eye make-up are not shared. All family members should have their own.
- Eye drops or ointment used by an infected family member must not be used by others.
- Try to keep your baby and yourself in a separate room so that you have little contact with infected family members. It's best not to stay in closed AC rooms with the infected person.
- It's wise to wash your baby's towel, clothes and bed linen separately in hot water every day and if possible leave it out to dry in the sun away from the rest of the family laundry. On rainy days, dry the clothes and bed linen indoors by placing the clothes rack under a fan. If the clothes stay damp, you can dry them fully by ironing them.
- Wash your hands well with warm water and soap before you feed or touch your baby.
- Clean your baby's eyes with sterilised, filtered or boiled water every day.
- Always use a fresh cotton ball for each eye every time you clean your baby's eyes. It will prevent the infection from passing from one eye to the other.
- Do not experiment with any home remedy without checking with your doctor first. The eyes are very delicate and you may cause more harm than good.
- Visit your doctor for information on preventive care or medication for both you and your baby.
- Do not apply any kajal or surma to your baby's eyes as it may worsen the infection.
If you feel your baby may have had contact with someone with conjunctivitis, keep a look out for any tell-tale signs.Take your baby to see the doctor if you see the following:
- The whites of one or both of your baby's eyes and the lower rim of his eyelids are red.
- Thick yellow discharge oozing out of your baby's eyes, causing his eyelids to swell or stick together.
- Symptoms of a cold along with redness in the eye. This could be an allergic form of conjunctivitis.
- Watery eyes, as this is a sign of under-developed tear ducts making her more prone to conjunctivitis.
Happy Parenting
Dr Poonam M. Sambhaji
Child and Newborn Specialist