Conjunctivitis in children

Conjunctivitis in children, which is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye - quite common disease. It can be bacterial, viral or allergic in nature and requires appropriate treatment. Also there is a traumatic conjunctivitis, which occurs when the mucous eye is damaged (bruises, scratches, foreign body).

Regardless of the cause that caused it, conjunctivitis in children has a number of common symptoms:

• Burning sensation, itching, sensations of "sand in the eyes". Kids who do not know how to describe their feelings, just try to rub their eyes with their hands, whine, capricious, and older children complain of pain and discomfort;
• Redness of the eyes and lacrimation;
• Disturbance of general state of health (although sometimes the child feels completely normal).

It is important for parents to remember a simple rule - if a child has at least one of these symptoms (with the exception of a violation of overall health), then you should immediately contact a pediatric ophthalmologist. Conjunctivitis in children in most cases is treated quite easily, but if you do not take timely measures, it can go into a subacute and chronic form, getting rid of which will be much more difficult. Untreated or mis-treated conjunctivitis can be complicated by keratitis, which, in turn, can lead to loss of vision.

Of course, parents are very concerned about the question of how to treat conjunctivitis in children. This mainly depends on what caused a particular disease (virus, some kind of microbial, allergies). Most often for the diagnosis and definition of the type of conjunctivitis, an ophthalmologist needs a visual examination of the child and an anamnesis, but in some cases special studies are needed, for example, sowing of eye contents.

Bacterial conjunctivitis can be caused by a number of bacteria, most commonly staphylococci and streptococci. Newborn children sometimes have gonococcal conjunctivitis, which they contract from a sick mother's gonorrhea during childbirth. When bacterial conjunctivitis can not do without antibacterial ointments and drops.

Such pathogens, as adenovirus infection and herpes (as well as a number of others), can cause viral conjunctivitis in children. Treatment in this case is aimed at eliminating the cause and is a comprehensive antiviral therapy. However, sometimes you have to resort to antibacterial drugs (ointments, drops) in order to avoid the development of complications and the attachment of a bacterial infection. Some of the most dangerous viral conjunctivitis are diseases caused by herpes viruses.

In general, the bacterial conjunctivitis differs from the viral because it removes purulent contents from the eyes from the very beginning, from which the eyelashes of the child can stick together after sleep. Also, with bacterial conjunctivitis, inflammation often affects both eyes at once, whereas in a viral disease, only one eye is usually affected, and for another infection passes after some time (in the absence of competent treatment).

Allergic conjunctivitis in children occurs when exposed to certain allergic factors: pollen of plants, wool, dust. This type of conjunctivitis is often accompanied by severe itching, the child has tears and red eyes. For treatment it is necessary to find the cause of the allergic reaction and, if possible, to eliminate it. The most difficult situation is if the allergic conjunctivitis in children develops as a reaction to pollen of plants, because it is impossible to remove the provoking factor. In this case, when walking it is recommended to put on your child sunglasses, when you return home thoroughly wash your face with water and hands. Walking with the baby should be in the early morning and late at night, the windows in the house should be tightened with a fine mesh, which will prevent the penetration of allergens inside the room. In addition, the child is prescribed antiallergic drugs and special anti-allergic drops in the eyes, which must be started several weeks before the expected flowering period.