Conjunctivitis in children, which is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye, is a very common disease. It may be of a bacterial, viral or allergic nature and requires appropriate treatment. Also, traumatic conjunctivitis occurs, which occurs when the mucous membrane of the eye is damaged (bruises, scratches, foreign bodies).
Regardless of the cause that caused it, conjunctivitis in children has a number of common symptoms:
- burning sensation, itching, sensation of "sand in the eyes." Kids who do not know how to describe their feelings simply try to rub their eyes with their hands, whimper, be capricious, and older children complain of pain and discomfort;
- redness of the eyes and lacrimation;
- violation of general 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 the listed symptoms (with the exception of impaired general health), then you should immediately contact a pediatric ophthalmologist. In most cases, conjunctivitis in children is treated quite easily, but if timely measures are not taken, it can go into a subacute and chronic form, which will be much more difficult to get rid of. Untreated or improperly 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. It mainly depends on what caused the specific disease (virus, some kind of microbe, allergy). Most often, for a diagnosis and determination of the type of conjunctivitis, an ophthalmologist needs a visual examination of the child and a medical history, but in some cases special studies are needed, for example, inoculation of the ocular contents.
Bacterial conjunctivitis can be caused by a number of bacteria, most often staphylococci and streptococci. In newborns, gonococcal conjunctivitis is sometimes encountered, with which they become infected from a mother with a gonorrhea during childbirth. With bacterial conjunctivitis, antibacterial ointments and drops are indispensable.
Pathogens such as adenovirus infection and herpes (as well as several 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. One of the most dangerous viral conjunctivitis is the disease caused by herpes viruses.
In general, bacterial conjunctivitis differs from viral conjunctivitis in that with it from the very beginning purulent contents are separated from the eyes, from which the child’s eyelashes can stick together after sleep. Also, with bacterial conjunctivitis, inflammation most often affects both eyes at once, while with a viral disease, only one eye is usually affected, and the infection passes to the other after a while (in the absence of proper treatment).
Allergic conjunctivitis in children occurs when exposed to certain allergic factors: plant pollen, wool, dust. This type of conjunctivitis is often accompanied by severe itching, the child's tears flowing and her eyes redden. For treatment, it is necessary to find the cause of the allergic reaction and, if possible, eliminate it. The most difficult thing is if allergic conjunctivitis in children develops as a reaction to plant pollen, because it is impossible to remove the provoking factor. In this case, when walking, it is recommended to wear sunglasses on the child, and upon returning home, wash your face and hands thoroughly with water. Walking with the child should be early in the morning and late in the evening, the windows in the house need to be tightened with a fine mesh, which will prevent the penetration of allergens into the room. In addition, anti-allergic drugs and special anti-allergic drops in the eyes are prescribed for the child , which must be started several weeks before the expected flowering period.