Conjunctivitis in Children

A slimy fluid also gets discharged from the eye. The white part of the eye turns red or pink which is why it is also known as pinkeye or red eye. Children should inform their parents immediately when their eyes start itching.

In some cases, only eye gets infected while in others both eyes are infected. The infection lasts for around a week and then goes away. Normally, conjunctivitis does not hurt but just leaves a heavy itching sensation in the eye. The feeling is similar to some particle getting into the eye. This could get very irritating and the right medication should be administered. The germs causing conjunctivitis can also infect the ears and hence also cause ear infection simultaneously in some children.

Both viruses and bacteria can cause conjunctivitis. Viruses spreading conjunctivitis can also spread cold while bacteria causing conjunctivitis can also cause ear infection. This kind of infection can be contagious and is otherwise known as infectious conjunctivitis. It can also be caused due to allergies and foreign bodies penetrating into the eye. But the actual medium for spreading this infection is yet to be known.

If the infected person scratches his eye and then shakes hands with someone, the other person can easily contract the infection. Since parents and the other children are in constant contact with the infected child, they also run the risk of contracting the infection.

When the itching sensation becomes unbearable, a doctor should be consulted. After examining the eye for redness and liquid discharge, he will get the details about contact with any person having the infection or whether it was just an allergic reaction. After checking for any ear infection, he will normally prescribe some eye ointment in case the patient is an infant and some eye drops in case the patient is a small child or adult. The drops should be administered to the child at least four to five times a day by sticking to a particular schedule in order to fight the infection.

If viruses' have caused the infection even antibiotics could seem ineffective. . In case of an allergic reaction, the doctor could prescribe eye drops that would deal with the infection appropriately. The eye should be washed regularly with warm water and a warm, clean washcloth can be used to clean the discharge. Cotton balls can be used to clean the surface of the eye and eliminate the crust that forms at the end of the eye. The towels and washcloths should not be used by anyone else as the infection could spread through them.