Orbital cellulitis

[TippetyTapWriter]

Hi, dd 13 mo was diagnosed with this by out of hours gp on Saturday evening and prescribed oral antibiotics and an antibiotic eyecream. Took her back on Sunday as swelling was worse in morning though it had gone down by the time we saw the gp at 11. He said same thing: continue with oral antibiotics etc. This morning the swelling is worse again though isn't red. Wondering if it's fluid accumulating as she sleeps then draining when she wakes? Everything I read online says cellulitis in the face in a young child should be treated in hospital with IV antibiotics and assessed by eye specialist?? Has anyone else's dc had this and been treated at home with oral antibiotics?

Has this definitely been diagnosed as orbital cellulitis, ie the infection is in the eye socket and the eye itself is bulging?

If so you are right this definitely needs urgent hospital care with immediate IV antibiotics. It's a medical emergency and if not treated quickly can lead to blindness and even death if the infection reaches the brain.

My DS had this and we were sent straight to the eye A&E by GP. However the consultant we saw minimised it and sent us home with oral antibiotics. Needless to say they didn't work and had to go back to A&E next morning with DS crying with pain. Luckily another consultant picked up his case, had him immediately transferred to the specialist ENT until at another hospital where he was scanned and had to have an emergency operation to drill into his eye socket to drain the infection as he was in serious danger of eye damage. I'm convinced the operation would not have been necessary if he had been admitted the day before.

The GP should have sent you straight to A&E. If he didn't I would suggest you take your DC there straight away. This can't wait.

As said above go straight to a&e, gp should have sent you there anyway as pre orbital can develop into orbital quickly.

Don't want to panic you OP, but the GP has been seriously negligent making that diagnosis and trying to treat it outside hospital. Please go straight to A&E immediately

Orbital cellulitis or Peri orbital cellulitis? Very different things. If orbital or in doubt go direct to a&e. If you can, go to Moorfields in London. Obviously not possible for everyone!

Thanks for replies everyone. Been at hospital all day with no battery. Sorry it was periorbital. The first doc said orbital so I didn't know the difference until later. Went back to my gp who referred us to paediatrics at the hospital. Dd was thoroughly checked over and they're happy the infection is mild and ok to treat with oral antibiotics. Such a relief. What a scary condition! I'd never heard of it until now. Glad your ds is ok goldenpond.

Glad it's just mild periorbital, Tippity and hope your DD feels better soon.

Just keep a really close eye on her ( no pun intended! ) and if she shows signs of being in pain or the eye looks like it is even slightly bulging from the socket get her straight to A&E. Periorbital can progress to orbital scarily quickly.

In DS's case the original consultant and his registrar disagreed over whether it was periorbital or orbital. Registrar wanted to admit him, consultant overruled her. I'm still angry about that as I feel with such a serious condition they should have erred on the side of caution. That was 3 years ago now and he's a strapping 16 year old now with no lasting ill effects thankfully