About 2 weeks ago I was listening to a friend rattle off all of the illnesses her little 17 month old boy had been through the last few months. It made me grateful that my little Lexi has been so healthy, I explained to her that Lexi hadn’t really been sick very much. Well, I should have knocked on wood after that because later that week Lexi got Hand-Foot-Mouth syndrome and there was more to come after that.
We went up to a condo in the mountains for Memorial weekend with my husbands family. Sunday morning Lexi woke up with a goopy swollen eye. By that night her eye was almost swollen shut. The next morning her other eye started to swell and her nose started running. We took her in to an Urgent Care, since the pediatrician was closed for Memorial Day. (I swear this little girl only gets sick on weekends and holidays!) The doctor told us that she had an ear infection in one ear and pink eye in both of her eyes. Poor little girl! She has had a hard couple of weeks. She is on an antibiotic, eye-drops, and we are giving her Benedryl to make her comfortable. She is doing much better now and hopefully she has had her share of sickness for awhile. Here are some facts on pink eye and ear infections that I found.
Pinkeye – Topic Overview
Pinkeye (also called conjunctivitis) is redness and swelling of the conjunctiva, the mucous membrane that lines the eyelid and eye surface. The lining of the eye is usually clear. If irritation or infection occurs, the lining becomes red and swollen.
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How Long Does Pinkeye Last?
Traditionally, at-home remedies have been sufficient for soothing conjunctivitis associated with uncomplicated colds, minor infections, or allergies. Treatment consists primarily of cleansing the eyes and preventing the condition from spreading.
Viral conjunctivitis usually runs its course in one to two weeks. Because it is not caused by bacteria, viral conjunctivitis does not respond to antibiotics. Artificial tears will also help relieve symptoms.
For bacterial conjunctivitis, the treatment will probably call for antibiotic eye drops or ointment. This generally clears the symptoms within a few days.
Pinkeye is very common. It usually is not serious and goes away in 7 to 10 days without medical treatment.
Common symptoms of pinkeye are:
- Eye redness (hyperemia).
- Swollen, red eyelids.
- More tearing than usual.
- Feeling as if something is in the eye (foreign-body sensation or keratoconjunctivitis).
- An itching or burning feeling.
- Mild sensitivity to light.
- Drainage from the eye.
Most cases of pinkeye are caused by:
- Infections caused by viruses or bacteria.
- Dry eyes from lack of tears or exposure to wind and sun.
- Chemicals, fumes, or smoke.
- Allergies.
Viral and bacterial pinkeye are contagious and spread very easily. Since most pinkeye is caused by viruses for which there is usually no medical treatment, preventing its spread is important. Poor hand-washing is the main cause of the spread of pinkeye. Sharing an object, such as a washcloth or towel, with a person who has pinkeye can spread the infection. For tips on how to prevent the spread of pinkeye, see the Prevention section of this topic.
People with infectious pinkeye should not attend school or go to work until symptoms improve.
- If the pinkeye is caused by a virus, the person can usually return to day care, school, or work when symptoms begin to improve, typically in 3 to 5 days. Medicines are not usually used to treat viral pinkeye, so it is important to prevent the spread of the infection. Pinkeye caused by a herpes virus, which is rare, can be treated with an antiviral medicine. Home treatment of viral pinkeye symptoms can help you feel more comfortable while the infection goes away.
- If the pinkeye is caused by bacteria, the person can usually return to day care, school, or work 24 hours after an antibiotic has been started if symptoms have improved. Prescription antibiotic treatment usually kills the bacteria that cause pinkeye.
Pinkeye may be more serious if you:
- Have a condition that decreases your body’s ability to fight infection (impaired immune system).
- Have vision in only one eye.
- Wear contact lenses.
Red eye
Red eye is a more general term that includes not only pinkeye but also many other problems that cause redness on or around the eye, not just the lining. Pinkeye is the main cause of red eye. Red eye has other causes, including:
- Foreign bodies, such as dirt or bugs.
- Scrapes, sores, or injury to or infection of deeper parts of the eye.
- Glaucoma.
- Infection of the eye socket and areas around the eye.
Swollen, red eyelids may also be caused by styes, a lump called a chalazion, inflammation of the eyelid, or tear deficiency (dry eyes).
Ear Infections – Topic Overview
Is this topic for you?
This topic covers infections of the middle ear, commonly called ear infections.
What is a middle ear infection?
The middle ear is the small part of your ear just inside your eardrum. It can get infected when germs from the nose and throat are trapped there.
What causes a middle ear infection?
A small tube connects your ear to your throat. A cold can cause this tube to swell. When the tube swells enough to become blocked, it can trap fluid inside your ear. This makes it a perfect place for germs to grow and cause an infection.
Ear infections happen mostly to young children because their tubes are smaller and get blocked more easily.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom is an earache. It can be mild, or it can hurt a lot. Babies and young children may be fussy. They may pull at their ears and cry. They may have trouble sleeping. They may also have a fever.
You may see thick, yellow fluid coming from their ears. This happens when the infection has caused the eardrum to burst and the fluid flows out. This is not serious and usually makes the pain go away. The eardrum usually heals on its own.
When fluid builds up but does not get infected, children often say that their ears just feel plugged. They may have trouble hearing, but their hearing usually returns to normal after the fluid is gone. It may take weeks for the fluid to drain away.
How is a middle ear infection diagnosed?
Your doctor will talk to you about your child’s symptoms. Then he or she will look into your child’s ears. A special tool with a light lets the doctor see the eardrum and tell whether there is fluid behind it. This exam is rarely uncomfortable. It bothers some children more than others.
How is it treated?
Most ear infections go away on their own. You can treat your child at home with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Tempra), a warm washcloth or heating pad on the ear, and rest. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. Your doctor may give you eardrops that can help your child’s pain.
Sometimes after an infection, a child cannot hear well for a while. Call your doctor if this lasts for 3 to 4 months. Children need to be able to hear in order to learn how to talk.
Your doctor can give your child antibiotics, but ear infections often get better without them. Talk about this with your doctor. Whether you use them will depend on how old your child is and how bad the infection is.
Minor surgery to put tubes in the ears may help if your child has hearing problems or repeat infections.
Can ear infections be prevented?
There are many ways to help prevent ear infections. Do not smoke. Ear infections happen more often to children who are around cigarette smoke. Even the fumes from tobacco smoke on your hair and clothes can affect them. Handwashing and having your child immunized can help, too.
Also, make sure your child does not go to sleep while sucking on a bottle. And try to limit the use of group child care.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Hope this information gives some of you out there some help. One more tip about pink eye that the doctor gave me was to wash Lexi’s blankets and sheets daily. This helps to reduce the chances of her re-infecting herself. I have been changing her sheets regularly and I think it has really helped her get better faster.
You have to be so careful with Pink eye around other children as well. Unfortunately Lexi gave it to her cousin the following week. They were together before we had diagnosed what it was and they love each other so much they are always hugging. Well apparently he got more out of those hugs than he desired. Make sure to keep your children away from other children if you think they have pink eye and constantly change their pillow cases and sheets.
Why does such an ick disease have such a great name?