It so happens that children have conjunctivitis more often than adults. In this case, the disease characterized by inflammation of the transparent and very thin shell of the eye (conjunctiva), in children and proceeds more difficultly, and treatment requires a long time. To say unequivocally how long conjunctivitis lasts for a child is impossible, because there are three types of this disease:
- viral;
- allergic;
- bacterial.
In addition, etiology involves classification of the disease into primary and secondary types. The nature of the course of conjunctivitis in children allows you to determine whether the child has an acute form of the disease or is chronic. There is another classification of this disease, based on the nature of the exudate. If the fluid is mucous, transparent, the child has catarrhal conjunctivitis. If the children have purulent discharge, then there is a purulent conjunctivitis.
Precisely determine what to treat conjunctivitis in children , can only the doctor after a thorough examination.
Viral conjunctivitis
Unfortunately, ARVI often provokes a complication in children in the form of viral conjunctivitis, the symptoms of which are immediately apparent. First, the virus that caused ARI affects one eye, but after a day or two the second one becomes infected. The baby's eyes turn red and itch, tears flow constantly. Treatment of viral conjunctivitis in children is reduced to easing the state of the eye. The disease also passes without treatment within two to three weeks, but special medications, antiviral ointments and drops, will help to rid the crumb from itching and secretions from the eyes.
Bacterial conjunctivitis
More often than other kinds of disease in children there is a bacterial conjunctivitis caused in most cases by staphylococcus or pneumococcus. These bacteria on the mucous eyes are due to the dirty hands that the toddlers touch the face. And newborns can "catch" bacterial conjunctivitis at the time of delivery, if bacteria are present in the birth canal.
This form of the disease is manifested by inflammation of both eyes, swelling and gluing of the eyelids from the secretion of pus, redness and photophobia. Independently with bacterial conjunctivitis can not cope. You need antibacterial drops, and ointment with antibiotics, and rubbing with tampons moistened with anti-inflammatory herbal decoctions (nettle, sage, chamomile).
Allergic conjunctivitis
If the baby's eyes turn red, itch, the lower eyelids are swollen, then, probably, the allergen-irritant, which has fallen on the conjunctiva, so often claims about itself. It can be pollen, wool, dust, and even drugs or food. Allergic conjunctivitis is treated in children by eliminating the allergen and subsequent instillation of the eye with antihistamine drops.
Important!
Since both viral and bacterial conjunctivitis are contagious, contact with sick people and their personal belongings must be minimized. When treating a number of rules:
- use only gauze tampons that do not leave villi;
- use a separate tampon for each eye;
- observe hygiene;
- strengthen immunity;
- more often do wet cleaning.
If the symptoms of the disease (lacrimation, redness, pus, photophobia and itching) are associated with a rise in body temperature, then we are talking about adenoviral conjunctivitis in children who need a complex and long-term treatment complex. Currently, there are no drugs that selectively affect adenoviruses. The doctor, having determined ophthalmologic complications, will choose the optimal scheme that will ensure a quick recovery of the baby.