Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Flip

Original poster

How on earth do I put ointment in my toddlers eye?!

18 replies

MrsWiddle · 31/07/2017 23:00

My DD (2.5) has an eye infection and has been prescribed some ointment that we are to put in the inside of her lower eyelid four times a day. She let me do it the first time and then realised how horrible it was and since then we've tried everything (bribing!) and she won't let us. We've ended up having to pin her down which is absolutely horrid for all of us.

Does anyone have any suggestions of how to apply it in a less traumatic way?! We have to do it for a whole week

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Hunkle · 31/07/2017 23:03

I would probably just do it at nightime & in the morning when she's asleep good luck, my DD would be the same.

doodlejump1980 · 31/07/2017 23:05

How runny is it? Could you smear some on your (clean) finger and just rub her eye and hope for the best? Or get her to do it that way she'll be rubbing at least some of it in the right place? Or wait until she's sleeping - not ideal as it's 4 times a day...?

theaveragewife · 31/07/2017 23:08

Chloramphenicol? Put a big dollop on a cotton pad - one of the smooth ones rather than fibrous, if you know what I mean? Then swipe it over her eyelid!

RandomDent · 31/07/2017 23:09

i usually squirt it in the general direction of the eye, then wait for it to clear up on its own.

Original poster

MrsWiddle · 31/07/2017 23:09

Thanks for the comments. The ointment is very thick and sticky so I don't think it would work ok a finger. We thought about doing it in her sleep but I'm petrified of waking her and her going mental!

OP posts:

Popskipiekin · 31/07/2017 23:10

Get someone else to do it?? Only half kidding. We had same issue with same age child but nursery staff and grandparents were far more successful than us at administering (we had to do the whole pin down misery).

Original poster

MrsWiddle · 31/07/2017 23:14

@theaveragewife it is Chloramphenicol. Is the theory that enough would get in that way? The doctor wanted it in between the eyelid and eyeball!

OP posts:

Original poster

MrsWiddle · 31/07/2017 23:15

@Popskipiekin I wish. I would pay for someone to do it without the manhandling and crying!!

OP posts:

Liadain · 31/07/2017 23:17

Honestly it might just have to be a "being cruel to be kind" moment, op.

Someone else administering might be a good idea too! She might be happier to put up with it from them.

theaveragewife · 31/07/2017 23:17

We went through this so many times with DD1 who was prone to eye infections when she was younger, she also hated anyone coming near her... we let her put it on herself the first couple of times on the cotton pad, so she knew she knew what to expect. If she's sleeping definitely leave her, otherwise she won't trust you for days (speaking from experience).

I'm pretty sure this has to be the chloramphenicol ointment, which is thick and sticky - you can get drops, but tbh they were 100 times worse in our experience.

theaveragewife · 31/07/2017 23:18

We saw a specialist who said it would be fine, as long as enough is absorbed then it will work, so just plonk loads on!

Feel for you, it's a tough one that!

namechangingagainagain · 31/07/2017 23:22

ask for the drops rather than the ointment..... easier to sneak in drops that ointment ( I think you can buy drops over the counter for the over ones if you speak to a friendly pharmacist).

theaveragewife · 31/07/2017 23:25

You can definitely buy drops or ointment OTC.

Original poster

MrsWiddle · 31/07/2017 23:38

Thank you all so much! A couple of options which I hadn't thought of to try tomorrow! Wish me luck

OP posts:

IwillrunIwillfly · 01/08/2017 19:01

When i have to put it in toddlers, i put some on a clean finger, sneak up behind them and just wipe it over their eye going from inside to out. You wont get it all on to the actual eyeball but most likely she'll rub her eye and rub in in herself after. I find drops harder because you have to drop them into an open eye.

theaveragewife · 01/08/2017 22:30

How did it go today MrsW?

Original poster

MrsWiddle · 01/08/2017 22:49

@theaveragewife we now have drops which she hated as well but I've managed to wipe her eye with the ointment three times today. I'm hoping that between that and the drops, enough will get in to help! Thanks for asking!

OP posts:

Piffpaffpoff · 01/08/2017 23:25

Dd had recurring eye infections and I'm afraid we resorted to pinning her down with a small treat for her immediately afterwards regardless of how much we got in the eye. I found the least upsetting/quickest way was to sit on the floor against the sofa, with my legs apart, get her head between my legs, arms under my thighs/knees and then do it as quick as poss. Not pleasant but medicine needs to be delivered somehow. Dd never fully 'complied' but she got progressively less kicky and would just squirm. (I had forgotten all about this btw, it was so long ago, but at the time it seemed never-ending!)

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.