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Original poster

In hospital with DD age4 - peri orbital cellulitis, antibiotics not working?

37 replies

miniworry · 04/03/2025 01:25

Just after a bit of a handhold as I sit awake next to my 4 year old Dd in hospital. We have been here since Sunday morning with a very swollen eye following conjunctivitis. They have diagnosed it as periorbital cellulitis and started on 2 types of IV antibiotics.

They said that we should see an improvement within 24/48 hours but as we near 48 hours it seems to look exactly the same- no bigger and no smaller. Her fevers also keep coming back as soon as the Nurofen wears off.

There was talk of a CT scan and a potential operation to drain it if the antibiotics didn't work as the infection could be coming from the sinus and now I'm petrified they are going to say that is needed tomorrow. The thought of her having to go through that after everything the last two days breaks my heart.

For those who have had/had a child with this, can anyone give success stories to keep me afloat? Did anyone's antibiotics take more than 48 hours to start showing visible improvement?

OP posts:
coxesorangepippin · 04/03/2025 01:31

I'm sorry, I have no experience of this but just wanted to holds hands

Hope you're DD is feeling better soon, must be such a very worrying time

Original poster
miniworry · 04/03/2025 01:36

@coxesorangepippin thank you so much for taking the time to reply- I think in the depths of the night when you're laid awake just watching them it's horrible. It's also bringing back a lot of trauma from when my DS has meningitis and was in hospital 🥺

OP posts:
Soonenough · 04/03/2025 01:46

Poor you it must be so very worrying . It sounds pretty serious and your daughter is very young . They seem to be doing the very best for her though. If she needs all that treatment I am sure they will make her as comfortable as possible . Not easy to see your child so ill and have to place your trust in others . Try and rest as much as you can , if nurses in attendance maybe get yourself something to drink . Hope tomorrow brings better news . 💐💐

coxesorangepippin · 04/03/2025 02:02

I imagine that you're absolutely bloody wiped out with it all. So tough when kids are sick, it's all consuming!

Try and get some rest, she's in the right place 💐

Motorroller · 04/03/2025 02:07

That must be scary, keeping fingers crossed for you and your DD.

Dogaredabomb · 04/03/2025 02:17

My son was in hospital for a week with peri orbital cellulitis when he was 7. It looked horrendous and was so alarming. It didn't respond to the IV antibiotics at all. After the swelling eventually, slowly went I could see the tiniest pin prick on the skin under his eye. I realised that he had needed antihistamines rather than antibiotics. He does react very dramatically to any type of bite and has very sensitive skin. I have a theory that extremely pale skinned gingery/blondey/freckly people react more dramatically to bites, allergens. Probably nonsense but I've noticed it.

I doubt some antihistamines would hurt and if there's a big positive reaction then voila.

Dogaredabomb · 04/03/2025 02:20

Btw I could not see the bite while his eye was swollen it honestly was a pin prick.

Pippinsdiary · 04/03/2025 02:28

Hi! My now 3yo had this when she was 1, I was scared I’d never even heard of it and thought she had conjunctivitis. She started on antibiotics and as no improvement within however long (can’t quite remember now) we went sent to hospital for monitoring and she ended up on a drip for antibiotics to get into her system quicker and luckily avoided anything further. Fingers crossed they kick in soon

Pinkfluffypencilcase · 04/03/2025 02:31

Dd had the same diagnosis and was in hospital for a few days on iv antibiotics. Eventually she did respond to the antibiotics. It was a scary time. She did have repeat bouts but not as severe as we were more aware and oral ab and / or eye drops as soon as any soreness appeared. I still keep chloramphenicol in the house in case.

Hope your dd is ok and responds soon.

LegoHouse274 · 04/03/2025 03:02

Pippinsdiary · 04/03/2025 02:28

Hi! My now 3yo had this when she was 1, I was scared I’d never even heard of it and thought she had conjunctivitis. She started on antibiotics and as no improvement within however long (can’t quite remember now) we went sent to hospital for monitoring and she ended up on a drip for antibiotics to get into her system quicker and luckily avoided anything further. Fingers crossed they kick in soon

We had a similar experience with one of ours when they were 1. Was in hospital for about 3 nights I think.

Another child also got it when they were 1 but managed it with just oral antibiotics and avoided a hospital stay.

Difficultwill · 04/03/2025 03:04

I am so sorry you are going through this. It must be such a frightening time. At least the antibiotics are holding it and things are not getting worse so that is a positive. Hopefully things will improve very soon but it does take days for the swelling to go down so it looks like it is resolving very slowly but it may be improving without really looking so much better.
Virtual hugs and handhold but do try and get some rest

Original poster
miniworry · 04/03/2025 11:14

Thank you so much everyone for your kind ones. We've saw the doctors this morning and they want to do another 24 hours on the antibiotics to see whether there's any improvement then they will do the CT scan. Her temperature was fine all night and I thought we were getting somewhere but then it's back up today 😕

Pictures for reference - first picture was yesterday and second is today.

In hospital with DD age4 - peri orbital cellulitis, antibiotics not working?
In hospital with DD age4 - peri orbital cellulitis, antibiotics not working?
OP posts:
Difficultwill · 04/03/2025 11:55

It certainly looks a little better today. Hopefully the antibiotics are now working

Funnywonder · 04/03/2025 12:38

My eldest had this last year when he was 15. His skin was very inflamed and the whole eye area and eyelid were very swollen and hot to touch. He didn’t have a fever, but then I don’t think teenagers are as prone to this as little ones. It was diagnosed after I sent a photo to our GP, who wrote a prescription for antibiotics which I was advised to collect ‘without delay’, which of course sent my anxiety through the roof! It cleared up very successfully over a few days.

I hope your daughter is better soon. I can definitely see a big improvement in her second photo. Poor wee love.

Bergmum · 04/03/2025 12:52

My son had it at 7. His progressed at an alarming rate and they actually did the CT after 24hours but his was so severe that his eye was practically swollen shut.
We did also try antihistamines actually because it was the summertime and he has hay fever so they theorised that it could be pollen in his eye.
Anyway to reassure you, on the third day he suddenly started improving.

frockandcrocs · 04/03/2025 13:12

Everything crossed, OP.

I think there's quite a big difference in the swelling between the pics! (The second one is far less swollen, though still red).

Toddlerteaplease · 04/03/2025 13:36

We had two kids in with that last week. Is she on nose drops as well? If she needs it draining, it's only minor. And they can test the pus and get her on the right antibiotics. She should also be seen in eye casualty daily.

Toddlerteaplease · 04/03/2025 13:37

Once it starts improving it does so quickly.

Original poster
miniworry · 04/03/2025 15:18

@Toddlerteaplease I'm assuming if they operate they will put her to sleep for it?

Yes she having nose drops, eye drops and 2 different types of antibiotics through the IV, I feel so sorry for her. She's just about to have another cannula put in as they want to repeat the blood cultures, and she's beside herself as the first one was so traumatic 😢

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 04/03/2025 15:26

Yes they will put her to sleep for it. She'll probably feel better for it afterwards.

Original poster
miniworry · 04/03/2025 16:31

@Toddlerteaplease thank you for letting me know that- will they also put her to sleep for the CT scan do you know?

OP posts:
Toddlerteaplease · 04/03/2025 16:54

Probably not. It only takes a couple of minutes.

HandHold174686 · 04/03/2025 18:02

miniworry · 04/03/2025 16:31

@Toddlerteaplease thank you for letting me know that- will they also put her to sleep for the CT scan do you know?

They might give her a bit of sedative

Original poster
miniworry · 04/03/2025 18:57

I think this is what I fear the post, the idea of her being put to sleep 😣

OP posts:
UndertheMapleTree · 04/03/2025 19:47

I don't have experience of it in children but I actually had it myself when I was a child.

I remember my doctor working out what it was and being amazed but also a little excited to see a case in person! The antibiotics didn't work for me - I'm not sure if it was too late by the time I got to hospital? Or something else - but I was transferred to another hospital and then had the operation itself at about 4am. I honestly can't remember much about it, so definitely no trauma at my end. I recovered very quickly in that way children do bounce back (my little one had a major op when he was tiny and he was back to normal in honestly minutes).

I had maybe a week off school I think, including 3 nights in the hospital. And I vaguely remember I had a six week check up which was all fine but once I'd had the op, and all that awful pressure was released, it was basically all good.