Purulent discharge from the eyes of a child. A child’s eye is festering - what to do, how and how to treat it

Human body immediately responds to pathological processes occurring inside, which are manifested by certain symptoms. The body of a newborn or small child very sensitive, which is explained by weak immune protection. Therefore, it is not at all uncommon to have the problem of discharge from the eyes. This symptom should alert parents. After all, it can indicate the occurrence of not only serious ophthalmological disease, but also ENT organs, namely the middle ear. To understand what discharge from the eyes of a small child indicates, it is worth understanding possible reasons their appearance.

Types of discharge and the reasons that cause them

It is worth noting that discharge from the eyes is not dangerous, but the reason that provoked it can harm the baby’s health. Timely diagnosis and treatment of the resulting illness in this case is simply necessary, since not only the eyes, but also the entire body can suffer.

Mucous membranes with impurities of pus

Often, abundant and quite viscous mucus with purulent inclusions may indicate the development of conjunctivitis, both bacterial and viral. This disease can occur due to infection in the child’s eyes that was on skin hands Pathogenic microorganisms may get into the eyes when visiting the pool or using personal hygiene items (for example, towels).

Such secretions stick together the child’s eyes during sleep, which causes discomfort to the baby after waking up. IN in rare cases mucus secreted through the tear ducts can form a thin film that is visible on the surface of the eye. If a child has conjunctivitis of a bacterial nature, it can be transmitted to others. This is why this disease needs to be treated as early as possible. Pathogenic flora can also develop in the middle ear area, which is a complication of this disease.

If, after consultation with an ophthalmologist, the diagnosis is confirmed, then in addition to the recommended treatment regimen, it is worth changing the pillowcases and towels used by the sick child daily. These personal hygiene practices will help avoid re-infection.

Thin discharge that resembles a tear

This phenomenon is often observed with allergies. To identify the cause of such a reaction in the child’s body, it is worth seeking advice from both an ophthalmologist and an allergist. The tests prescribed by the doctor will help identify what exactly the child is allergic to. If there is a suspicion of the allergic nature of the existing discharge, then it is worth conducting two tests:

• examination of eye discharge;
• testing for allergens.

If a diagnosis is made - allergic conjunctivitis, then you need to protect the child from the identified allergen. It will also be necessary to carry out symptomatic treatment, namely taking antihistamines in the dosage recommended by your doctor, this will help relieve allergy symptoms.

Formation of crusts and scales on the edge of the eyelids

Such a symptom will indicate the course of a serious disease - blepharitis. In this case, two eyes are affected, and swelling of the eyelids is observed. Factors causing the development of this disease include: infection, demodex mites, and over-allocation sebum

This disease is quite difficult to cure, so if the symptoms listed above are present, you should take your child to an ophthalmologist for examination as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and timely treatment will save the baby from possible complications.

Purulent discharge

Purulent discharge, which is observed in infants, may indicate the presence of conjunctivitis, dacryostenosis or dacryocystitis. With this disease, the existing symptoms are explained by obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct, as well as the development of an inflammatory process localized directly in the lacrimal sac.

The inflammatory process the eye can only be observed in infants, which is explained by the characteristics of the body. There is a film in the nasolacrimal duct of the fetus, which often disappears on its own before birth or during the first days after birth. But in rare cases, it does not resolve, but remains in the child’s body during the first eight months of life, which negatively affects the eyes. Untimely rupture of such a film causes blockage of the nasolacrimal duct, which creates favorable conditions for the development of pathogenic flora and the inflammatory process itself.

Consultation with a pediatrician or ophthalmologist will help determine the scheme further treatment using certain medicines. Often, therapeutic therapy involves massaging the bridge of the child’s nose. Light massage movements will ensure the gradual release of accumulated pus, possibly causing the film to rupture. If the massage is ineffective, the doctor will prescribe procedures that will clean the nasolacrimal duct, remove the film, and also treat the baby’s eyes.

Inflammation of the eyes from otitis media

Inflamed eyes and discharge from them may indicate inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media). This disease causes a number of symptoms:

Ear infection - serious symptom, so you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. If otitis media is not treated, it can lead to partial loss or total loss hearing, the development of meningitis in the future. The inflammatory process, localized in the ear, spreads very quickly, affecting the membranes of the brain.

An otolaryngologist will be able to detect the presence of an inflammatory process in the ear during an examination. Anesthetic ear drops are used only if there is no purulent discharge and the integrity of the eardrum is not compromised.

During therapeutic therapy may be appointed antibacterial drugs in the form of drops that will be used to treat both the ear and the eyes. This will neutralize the bacteria that caused the inflammatory process and the discharge itself.

Proper treatment and carrying out certain medical procedures will allow you to quickly cure inflammation of the middle ear, as well as get rid of accompanying symptoms.

First aid for a child

In order to alleviate the child’s condition even before visiting a doctor, you can rinse your eyes with a decoction medicinal herbs(calendula, chamomile) or saline solution. A separate cotton pad or swab is used for each eye.

Rinsing is carried out in the following way: in the direction from the outer corner of the eye to the inner. Thus, all secretions will be brought out.

If observed thick discharge, then it is worthwhile to first carry out light massage eyelids, and then carry out the washing procedure described above.

What should a child do? If this happens, many mothers can easily diagnose it as conjunctivitis. This disease means inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva), hence its name.

Conjunctivitis is usually caused by various viruses(influenza, herpes, adenoviruses, measles virus) and bacteria (streptococci, staphylococci, pneumococci, meningococci). The disease can also be caused by allergies (eg dust, pollen).

Typical signs of conjunctivitis

You can determine the disease in a child independently, guided by the following symptoms:

• the child has photophobia;
• in the morning there are yellow crusts on the eyelids;
• The baby’s eyes become very festered, and when the eyelid is pulled back, redness and swelling are clearly visible.

New parents need to know that newborns do not cry, and if one month old baby the eye is festering, a tear is flowing, then the child most likely has conjunctivitis, and the necessary measures must be taken urgently.

Older children may complain of a painful feeling in the eye area, itching, burning, or a feeling as if something is bothering the eye. Due to all these sensations, vision may decrease, and the child will say that his vision is cloudy.

This disease is very dangerous for children under seven years of age. Every child in this age category loves to play with other children, so they can infect their healthy peers. What should parents do in this case? You need to seek qualified help from an ophthalmologist as soon as possible.

Also if the child has obvious redness eyeball, this can be caused by an attack of glaucoma or simply by an eyelash getting into the eye.

what to do if there is no doctor

Of course, it is best to immediately consult a doctor, but if for some reason this is impossible to do, you definitely need to help the child yourself qualified assistance. It is as follows:

A child’s eye is festering: what to do if the above methods do not help, and the inflammation of the eye has not gone away? This means that the disease is caused by more serious factors, and therefore it is necessary to take radical measures. In this case, the child’s eyes are treated with the following drugs: “Vitabact”, “Fucitalmic”, “Kolbiotsin”, “Tobrex”, “Tetracycline”.

It is important to know

If inflammation of the conjunctiva is detected in a child, you should not use this. This will only worsen the situation, since it will create a favorable environment for the development of bacteria under the bandage.

When a baby often scratches his eyes or complains about discomfort, and you see pustules in his eyes, he is worried about conjunctivitis. It can be provoked by many factors. And, if they are accurately identified, treatment will be as effective as possible.

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane that is located on top inner surface century. It may appear due to allergic reaction, viruses and bacteria.

General signs of conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis in children and conjunctivitis in adults are quite different phenomena in terms of symptoms. If an adult practically does not suffer from this disease, in a child everything happens completely differently.

Your baby may experience loss of appetite, mood swings, and bad dream. The child may be capricious, wake up at night and refuse a variety of foods.

Another symptom of conjunctivitis, which is especially acute in children, is photophobia. In some cases, children react extremely painfully even to weak light.

With conjunctivitis, children's vision can sharply deteriorate. The child sees everything blurry and indistinct.

All other signs are the same as in adults:

• redness of the eyes;
• tearfulness;
• purulent discharge;
• yellow crust on the eyes in the morning.

If you doubt that the child has precisely because the pustules are invisible, pull back the lower eyelid. Conjunctivae accumulate there, indicating the disease.

Considering that conjunctivitis can be caused by many factors, take a close look at characteristic symptoms related to each of them. If you are unable to give your baby accurate diagnosis or you doubt your choice, good decision there will be a visit to the doctor. Some forms of conjunctivitis can be dangerous and cause vision loss.

When conjunctivitis is provoked by an allergic reaction

Sometimes the cause of this disease is a banal allergy. In this case, it affects both eyes. They turn red, and the child scratches them very often. A runny nose is possible.

To eliminate the inflammation that is tormenting a child, you need to identify the trigger of the allergy. When the allergen is identified, try to ensure that the child does not come into contact with it at all or as little as possible. The process of identifying the allergen is mandatory, because it can cause conjunctivitis even after effective treatment.

In this case, it is better to use not only medications for allergies, but also for allergies.

If conjunctivitis is caused by a virus

Sometimes such inflammation accompanies many viral colds, for example, ARVI or even measles. Its peculiarity is that it goes away along with the underlying disease. Discharge from the eyes is not abundant, most often it is mucus.

If your baby has acquired the herpetic form of conjunctivitis, he may have small blisters on his eyelids. They may itch, which causes watery eyes. A drug that will help get rid of them is acyclovir. It must be taken after your doctor's approval. Be sure to tell your child that blisters should not be scratched or squeezed. Under no circumstances should they be injured if they occur on internal areas century If you do otherwise, you can get an infection, which will make everything worse.

Another form viral conjunctivitis– adenoviral. Its difference is the possible absence of any purulent discharge. But the eye color will definitely be red. Florenal ointment, interferon and poludan are all suitable drugs for treatment.

Video - conjunctivitis in children. Doctor Komarovsky

When conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria

A dangerous form of conjunctivitis is gonococcal. It usually affects the eyes of newborns and signs of this type of conjunctivitis are visible to the naked eye already on the third day. Copious purulent discharge, severe swelling, a practically non-disappearing yellow crust - all this accompanies gonococcal conjunctivitis. Another hallmark symptom– the child’s eyes practically do not open. If you find all this in your baby, it is advisable to start treatment immediately and under the supervision of a doctor. This form of the disease is very serious and can be treated with antibiotics. In some cases, it is precisely this that causes vision loss at such an early age.

The cause of profuse purulent discharge from the eyes can be advanced throat diseases. Or, throat diseases that have not been completely cured.

Conjunctivitis also occurs with diphtheria. Characteristic sign– the eyes are covered with a film. It would be a big mistake to try to remove the film, because this is fraught not only with infection, but also with bleeding and subsequent scarring. After diphtheria passes, the film disappears.

There are a couple more types bacterial conjunctivitis– staphylococcal and pneumococcal. First, the inflammation overcomes one eye, and then spreads to the second. It is characterized by constant purulent discharge and severe redness.

We recognize the provocateur of conjunctivitis by a combination of signs

This tablet will help you make a diagnosis yourself, in which the characteristic symptoms are indicated in an easy-to-read manner.

	Lymph nodes	Appearance of discharge	Itching	Redness and swelling
Allergic conjunctivitis	Does not change in size	Translucent mucus	Strong	Small
Viral conjunctivitis	Change in size	Light-colored pus	Absent	Minimum
	Does not change in size	Yellow pus	Absent	From small to strong

Pustules in the eyes of newborn babies

Of course, in newborns, inflammation can be caused by viruses, bacteria, and allergies. But very often the reason lies in obstruction of the lacrimal canal. It should open at birth, but if this does not happen, inflammation of the lacrimal sac develops, called dacryocystitis.

There are several ways to get rid of dacryocystitis. The first is application local drugs. It is better to select them in consultation with your doctor.

The second method of treatment is probing the lacrimal canal. Typically, it is used when other treatments have failed.

The third and most common method of treatment is massage of the lacrimal canal. It is carried out in several stages:

1. Let's clean our hands.
2. Gently squeeze out the liquid from the lacrimal sac.
3. We drop furatsilin into the eye.
4. Remove pus using cotton wool.
5. We begin to gently influence the lacrimal sac with a finger. Movements should be vibrating and jerky. It is better that the entire massage consists of twelve actions. Most of of these should be movements from top to bottom in the direction from the inner corner to the wings of the nose. The last movement is vibration in the opposite direction.
6. Use of disinfectant drops.

You should not try to do what you have planned after the first session. This massage should be performed about five times a day.

Video - lacrimal duct massage

What to do if a child has conjunctus tivit

1. If for some reason you are unable to take your child to the doctor, you can provide first aid even at home. First, you need to explain to your child what is not recommended to do. Be sure to tell him about the dangers of scratching his eyes. This is really very harmful, because such exposure increases the production of pus and increases the redness of the eyelids and eyes, which aggravates the situation. If the child is very small, and it is extremely difficult to explain this to him, try to monitor his hand hygiene.
2. The best way to prevent your child from excessively scratching his eyes is to distract him from the problem. If he focuses on it, the effect will not be pleasing. Even when your child is not feeling well, do not leave him alone with the problem. Try to distract him in different ways that interest him.
3. Some mothers believe that an eye patch will save it from dirt and child touches. In fact, this is bad option actions. Thanks to this dressing, humidity increases, which creates an excellent environment for bacteria. Therefore, it is better not to be lazy and keep your baby’s hands clean.
4. There are a number of procedures you can perform at home that have a beneficial effect on reducing inflammation. A prerequisite is to use them on both eyes at once, even if only one is susceptible to inflammation.
5. Humidity and pustules in the eye area together create a good environment for bacteria to multiply. To prevent this process and make it less active, you need to remove pus and crusts every hour or two hours. To remove more pus, pull down the lower eyelid and gently pry up the pustules with a cotton swab. The use of a dry cotton swab is not recommended; it is better to moisten it in a furatsilin solution. You need to act as carefully as possible when the child has just woken up. The process of removing the crust that has formed overnight can be very unpleasant.

You should not only wash your eyes, but also apply drops to them that relieve inflammation. These tools will do:

• Vitabact;
• albucid;
• colbiocin;
• Zubital;
• chloramphenicol.

Suitable ointments for use are, for example, tetracycline or erythromycin. Children like this treatment more, since these products have the most gentle effect on sore eyes.

After you first notice inflammation in your baby, use ointments or every couple of hours. When slight improvements are noticeable, do this every four hours. When the conjunctivitis is almost gone, you can use them three times a day.

Often parents notice that the child’s eyes are purulent, there is a high temperature and other pathological symptoms. This condition signals the development pathological process from the outside visual system. If yellow discharge appear exclusively after sleep, this does not indicate illness and is the norm. If purulent accumulations in the corners of the eyes appear in children under one year of age or older, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist, who will determine the cause and select treatment.

Why the problem occurs: reasons

Manifestation of an allergic reaction

Purulent discharge is typical when allergies occur in a child one year or older. In addition, parents observe that the eyes hurt, are red, and tears flow heavily. A feature of the allergic reaction is the release of pus from both visual organs, while pathological exudate is observed not only in the morning, but throughout the day. To eliminate the pathology, it is important to limit the child’s contact with the irritant, and after that a course of taking antihistamines.

How does conjunctivitis manifest?

If pus collects in a child's eyes, then perhaps the source of the problem is inflammatory reaction in the conjunctiva. When the eye structures become inflamed, then clinical picture may differ depending on the type of disease. The table shows the types of conjunctivitis that can be observed in a child and leads to the discharge of pus.

View	Peculiarities
Gonococcal	Green purulent discharge, differing more thick consistency, and go abundantly
	Crusts often form on the eyelids
	Diagnosed in infants in the first weeks of life
	Requires antibiotic therapy
Herpes	Poses a danger to the child's health
	White pus discharge is localized around the eye and dries out
Staphylococcal or pneumococcal	A lot of thick purulent fluid is released
	Often develops in a child against the background of advanced sore throat
Viral	Is it an independent pathology or progresses with ARVI?
	The child's eyes are slightly swollen
	Discharge from the eyes is slight and liquid in nature
	Often there is snot and a cough at the same time

What is the essence of dacryocystitis?

Solve Mono Problem with Breakthrough Massage tear ducts.

Often, a child’s eyes fester due to blockage of the tear ducts. At birth, the baby's membrane ruptures, causing tears to come out. If this does not happen, then one month old baby eyes may water, pus may accumulate, which is why parents soon notice that visual organ inflamed. If purulent fluid flows due to dacryocystitis, and the child’s eye hurts, then it is necessary to do special massage for a speedy channel breakthrough. IN severe cases probing is prescribed.

When there is blockage of the tear ducts in infants, as a result of which the visual organs fester, it is not prescribed drug treatment, because it is ineffective against the disease.

How to recognize adenovirus?

Festering and red eyes in a child may be a consequence of a similar disease, which is characterized by pathological activity of viruses on the mucous membrane respiratory tract, intestines, eyes. Adenovirus is often accompanied high temperature- more than 38 degrees. And also a child under one year old and older is worried about reddened eyes and other signs of illness:

Symptoms of the disease can be complemented by a cough.

• fear of bright light;
• soreness in the eye area;
• foreign body sensation;
• pus appears;
• increased lacrimation;
• cough;
• discharge of mucus from the nose.

Diagnostic procedures

When the eyes fester due to a cold or other pathologies, it is worth showing the child to an ophthalmologist. A specialist will help identify the sources of the disorder and tell you how to treat the disorder. The doctor examines the fundus of the eye, determines the severity visual function and field of view. To make an accurate diagnosis, purulent fluid is collected for laboratory research. In this way, it is possible to determine the type of pathogen and select the correct antibacterial drugs.

How to treat?

Medicines

If a child’s eye is red and festered, then various medications. When choosing medications, you must be careful not to provoke complications in children's body. At strong accumulation pus, you can wash the visual organ with a solution of “Furacilin”. The table shows commonly used medications when a baby’s eye begins to fester:

If a child’s eye is watery and purulent due to herpetic type conjunctivitis, it is recommended to use Acyclovir and other local antiviral agents.

Parents quite often face the problem when children develop purulent discharge from their eyes. Eyes can fester in children of any age. There are many reasons for this.

Why do the eyes of a newborn fester?

As the baby moves through the birth canal during labor, it can become infected in the eyes. In this regard, the newborn immediately after birth with for preventive purposes instill children's sodium sulfacyl (). This does not always lead to the expected result. Sometimes a mother discovers that the baby’s eyes have become infected only after returning from the maternity hospital.

The eyes of newborns can fester for five reasons:

• (eye inflammation) caused by bacteria;
• dacryocyst or dacryostenosis - inflammation of the sac that develops as a result of obstruction of the nasolacrimal duct;
• reaction to sodium sulfacyl;
• viral conjunctivitis;
• allergic reaction.

If you notice that your newborn baby's eye has become infected, you should call a pediatrician or bring the child to him for an appointment. He will assess the severity of the baby’s condition and make the appropriate decision: either he will prescribe treatment himself, or he will organize a consultation with an ophthalmologist.

Treatment

IN case of lung For inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes, doctors prescribe the following treatment:

• Rinse the eyes with furacillin solution. For this purpose, use a ready-made solution or dilute one tablet of the drug in 200 ml of boiled, non-hot water. Children can also wash their eyes with chamomile decoction or saline sodium chloride solution. To do this, soak a cotton swab in the appropriate solution and wipe the eye from the outer edge to the inner. The procedure is done after the child wakes up 4 to 8 times a day.
• Instillation of a 0.25% solution of chloramphenicol into the child's eyes. Before instillation of the drug, the baby's eyes must be washed boiled water, and then, pulling back the lower one, drop 1 or 2 drops of solution into each eye. This procedure should be repeated 4 to 8 times a day after preliminary washing of the eyes. Treatment is continued until the symptoms of the disease disappear. But if it does not give the expected result, it is necessary to consult the child with an ophthalmologist. If conjunctivitis occurs without complications, then complete recovery occurs in 3-5 days.

Dacryocystitis develops when the nasolacrimal duct is obstructed. The eyes communicate with the nasal cavity through the nasolacrimal duct. Through it, debris and microorganisms are removed from the eyes with tears. But in the same way, infectious agents can enter the eyes from the nasal cavity. In newborns, the patency of the nasolacrimal duct may be impaired. The film that is in it must burst or dissolve either at birth or during the first two weeks of the baby’s life. But in some children it is destroyed only by 7-8 months of age.

If the nasolacrimal duct is blocked, tears cannot flow out of the eye. When microorganisms enter it, they multiply there and cause inflammation. First, a tear constantly flows from the child’s eye, and then pus. Even if at first the process is one-sided, over time pus is discharged from the second eye.

The inflammatory process can spread from the eye to the lacrimal sac. In this case, dacryocystitis develops. Its main signs are the separation of pus after pressing with a finger on the lacrimal sac, as well as swelling in the inner corner of the eye. A mother cannot independently distinguish whether her baby has dacryocystitis or conjunctivitis. If a baby's eye has become infected, the pediatrician will first prescribe treatment for conjunctivitis. When it does not bring the expected result, the baby should be shown to an ophthalmologist who can make a final diagnosis.

Treatment of dacryocystitis in newborns is long-term, recovery occurs 2-4 months after the start of conservative measures. Complex therapy is carried out:

• antibacterial eye drops;
• zinc-adrenaline drops, which have an anti-edematous effect;
• massage of the lacrimal sac.

The massage is done this way:

• the index finger of the hand is placed on the inner corner of the eye, where the lacrimal sac is located;
• clockwise make 5-6 circular movements.

It is recommended to do the procedure 4 to 8 times a day. After this, the pus is better separated from the lacrimal sac. During a massage, the film in the nasolacrimal duct often breaks through. If after the massage there is no recovery, ophthalmologists open the nasolacrimal duct using a special probe. This way its patency is restored.

Unfortunately, dacryocystitis is sometimes complicated by an abscess of the lacrimal sac. The baby develops severe swelling of the eyelids, copious discharge of pus, and an increase in body temperature. If such symptoms are present, the child should be immediately hospitalized in the eye department.

Why do the eyes fester in older children?

The cause of purulent discharge from the eyes in older children is conjunctivitis. Clinical symptoms bacterial and viral conjunctivitis are practically not much different. Your doctor can make a more accurate diagnosis based on your medical history. So, for example, if the baby came into contact with children who are sick viral disease, one might think that conjunctivitis is caused by viruses. But if his eyes fester after he played in the sandbox and rubbed them with dirty hands, then most likely the cause of the disease is bacteria.

Regardless of the expected nature of conjunctivitis, treatment begins with washing the eyes with tea, chamomile decoction, isotonic sodium chloride solution or furatsilin solution. If there is reason to believe bacterial origin conjunctivitis, then eye drops with anti-inflammatory drugs or antibiotics are prescribed.

Most often, doctors prescribe 0.25% chloramphenicol eye drops. If the child does not tolerate this drug, then it is recommended to drip Albucid or Tsipromed into the eyes. They have local action and are practically not absorbed into the blood. You should perform from 4 to 8 instillations of the drug per day. If the doctor determines that the inflammatory process is severe, he may prescribe antibacterial ointments, which will need to be placed under the eyelids.

If there is reason to believe that conjunctivitis is caused by viruses, the child is prescribed only eye rinsing for the first 2-3 days. If after this there is no improvement, then continue treatment with the same drugs that are used for bacterial inflammation eye. This is necessary in order to prevent the development bacterial flora due to impaired outflow of tear fluid through the nasolacrimal duct.

For children who have catarrhal symptoms, vasoconstrictor drops are dripped into the nose. They reduce swelling of the nasal mucosa, after which the patency of the nasolacrimal duct is restored. If your baby has the first signs of conjunctivitis or pain in the eyes, he should be consulted with a pediatrician or ophthalmologist.

Allergic conjunctivitis

Allergic conjunctivitis differs from viral and bacterial conjunctivitis in that symptoms of the disease immediately appear on both sides. It is also not accompanied by an increase in body temperature. Temporary relief occurs after taking antihistamines.

Older children may experience eye irritation when dust or chemical substances. Signs of the disease may appear after swimming in the pool or instilling eye medications. Typically, there is no need for treatment for this type of irritation. All symptoms disappear a few days after stopping contact with the irritant.