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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Parenting

Conjunctivitis help

50 replies

Inboxer · 15/12/2014 00:02

Dd 2.10 has this. It's horrible - her eyes are all puffed up and when she woke up this morning her eyelids were stuck together with green discharge which has been oozing out all day.

Phoned 111 as it was a Sunday and they said it would go on its own but I'm not convinced so I'm hoping to book her into the doctors tomorrow.

Has anyone's child had this before? Do you need eye drops and how long before they work? Poor dd is so distressed.

OP posts:

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53Dragon · 15/12/2014 00:10

Best thing is cooled boiled water and cotton wool balls. Two balls per eye and one wipe only per ball. Gently pull down lower lid and wipe from inside (ie nearest nose) to outside.
Repeat 4x per day
Don't share towels with your dd - give her a 'special' towel of her own or it'll go round the whole family.

thatsmyname123 · 15/12/2014 00:11

You can get drops over the counter from a pharmacist, no need for doctors appointment, the drops clear it up quickly, horrible infection, make sure you wash her pillowcase daily until it's gone and she uses separate towels because it's very easy to pass on/reinfect herself

milkjetmum · 15/12/2014 00:16

Dd2 10 months has just recovered from this. We had 2 days with glued up eyes then 2 days a bit gummy now gone. Just did the water as per pp. It is painful (dh also caught it and said his eye felt bruised and hurt to wipe) so calpol too.

Inboxer · 15/12/2014 03:50

Thanks all for your advice I really appreciate it x

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Rosa · 15/12/2014 06:25

Also pure chammomile tea helps ...boil it and then leave to cool and then do the same as with water. If you use the really fresh stuff do strain first ! It really does help.

Rosa · 15/12/2014 06:27

Oh and if she rubs her eyes with her hands have 2 flannels on hand to wipe them afterwards. Then boil the flannels to avoid reinfection. You can use wipes but my dd liked the warm flannel better!!!!!

NickyEds · 15/12/2014 10:39

I agree with pp-just keep her eyes clean and separate towels etc. I'd only bother with a doctors appointment if her eyes start to hurt (rather than being dischargey/itchy) or she becomes photosensitive.

Inboxer · 15/12/2014 11:35

Saw the doctor today. Got seen very quickly - she's been given Chloromycetin ointment to put on three times a day. I cleaned her eye then put some in but God knows how much went in she was struggling so much!

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Rosa · 15/12/2014 12:55

put ointment on a coton pad and then wipe on you might get more on .

Inboxer · 15/12/2014 17:30

Thanks Rosa. Have done that. She's very reluctant to open her eyes which is a shame as they need cleaning. She's slept all afternoon.

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Rosa · 15/12/2014 21:25

Poor thing I guess its as they are sticky. I found after cleaning and drying with another ball then dd was ok for a bit until they started itching again and you could see her frustration. Putting the cream on gunked them up a bit but took the itching away. I also gave my dd bits of the cotton wool to play with ... She adored ripping the strips and pulling it apart whilst i sort of attacked!!,

mrsmugoo · 15/12/2014 22:05

DS, 9 months woke up with this in both eyes at the weekend.

I took him to the walk-in centre and was given anti-biotic drops straight away which cleared it up within 2 doses. I also bathed his eyes with breastmilk.

Showy · 15/12/2014 22:14

It very rarely needs antibiotic treatment. It's one of the infections which has been over treated with antibiotics and we're heading to a point where it will become resistant. The thing is, it rarely needs drops/ointment but pharmacists and GPs just prescribe them as routine when for a few years now, it's not been recommended. It's taking so long for the message to get through. It's self limiting and only needs treatment if it's v severe (greeny, yellow gunk is normal, eyelids stuck together is normal btw) or getting much worse/more painful or goes on for a couple of weeks. Wiping regularly with sterile fluid as described above is sufficient. It's a common infection but I've never seen anybody post on here to say that their GP/pharmacist told them it didn't need treatment.

More info/confirmation on the NHS or Patient UK sites if you need it.

53Dragon · 15/12/2014 23:54

I was given the advice re: cooled boiled water by a friend who's a Pharmacist. She says that antibiotics are over prescribed and she would never bother with over the counter ointments. Her verdict is that people would rather pay money for a 'cure' than deal with it properly themselves.

Only1scoop · 15/12/2014 23:55

The eye drops work a treat. Keep them in the fridge.

Bathe eyes will cooled boiled water.

Inboxer · 16/12/2014 17:47

Thanks all. Just hoping it clears up soon, her eyes are such a mess xx

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MoragG · 17/12/2014 14:29

Nursery said that they would not take DD2 (with mild conjunctivitis) unless she had drops. I was of the view that they were not necessary and that it would clear up by itsef, but I had to get them if I wanted her to be there. Very annoying!

Inboxer · 17/12/2014 16:26

Well I've been using the ointment for three days now and no sign of improvement - feel so sorry for her and wish there was more I could do!

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53Dragon · 18/12/2014 19:20

Wipe with cooled boiled water 4x per day - it's so much more effective than over-the-counter ointments.

TiedUpWithString · 21/12/2014 22:25

Salty cooled (but still pretty warm) boiled water, soak a handkerchief in it, wrap the hankie round a teaspoon and press onto eye. It's brill.

Also drops from the chemist rather than ointment might work.

Inboxer · 24/12/2014 02:48

Eyes are still gunky - feels like this is going on forever.

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chocorabbit · 09/01/2015 10:03

Sorry but I just saw this thread now. When I had it about a year ago I was frustrated by the pain. Then I remembered my parents, dentists etc where I come from who have always said that chamomile tea is antiseptic and applied it before bedtime. By morning time I felt massive improvement in both the swelling and the pain!

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Divingforpearls · 09/01/2015 11:00

Likewise, only just saw this; some say that cotton wool balls are not the best idea as the strands can get in the eye. I always used 'normal' tea; let it stew and cool down, then just put the teabag on (one separate one for each eye to avoid cross-contamination). Something about the tannins is useful. But it worked for me anyway. I'm not sure the following applies in your situation, but for anyone with small babies reading this - breast milk has often been used with success! All those lovely antibodies you see.

Divingforpearls · 09/01/2015 11:00

Likewise, only just saw this; some say that cotton wool balls are not the best idea as the strands can get in the eye. I always used 'normal' tea; let it stew and cool down, then just put the teabag on (one separate one for each eye to avoid cross-contamination). Something about the tannins is useful. But it worked for me anyway. I'm not sure the following applies in your situation, but for anyone with small babies reading this - breast milk has often been used with success! All those lovely antibodies you see.

Divingforpearls · 09/01/2015 11:00

Likewise, only just saw this; some say that cotton wool balls are not the best idea as the strands can get in the eye. I always used 'normal' tea; let it stew and cool down, then just put the teabag on (one separate one for each eye to avoid cross-contamination). Something about the tannins is useful. But it worked for me anyway. I'm not sure the following applies in your situation, but for anyone with small babies reading this - breast milk has often been used with success! All those lovely antibodies you see.

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