5month old excessive eye rubbing

[Ek3009]

My 5month old has always rubbed her eyes when she is tired etc but she has recently started to do it ALL the time and is waking herself up in the night.

She has been drooling since about 8weeks and has had all the teething symptoms since then but still no teeth so I’m not even sure it is teething, Iv tried anbisol oil etc on her gums to see if it would stop the eye rubbing but it doesn’t make a difference.

I also don’t think it’s allergies, her eyes aren’t red or watery and she has no rashes on her face, we’ve used the same washing detergent for her clothes since she was born I’m not really sure what it could be.

Could it just be a phase? Could it be teething or does anyone have any similar stories and any advice?

Thanks

Speak to your health visitor or GP about it. Could be an eye infection or just one of those things that she'll grow out of. I hope you get it sorted.

My almost 4 month old is the same, started rubbing his eyes when he was tired now he seems to do it all the time. Then in the night he’s always rubbing his hands over his face knocking his dummy out and then waking himself up.

I’ve had people tell me it could be allergies or teething. His eyes don’t really look irritated and I’ve not changed anything for him to suddenly develop a new allergy. As for teething he’s been chewing on his hands a lot and dribbles a lot so I really don’t know either.

I have found though that when his dummy is actually in or his blanket is close to his face he does tend to stop doing it all together so maybe it could just be a comfort thing.

If he doesn’t tend to do it when he’s being distracted for example if you’re sitting there and talking to him or showing him a toy then I wouldn’t say anything is necessarily irritating his eyes. I know how annoying it can be though, my little boy woke up the other morning with a little scratch by his nose and one by his eye that he must’ve done in the night.