Conjunctivitis in children of 2 years - how to diagnose and treat the disease

Children's conjunctivitis is a disease that is very common in children of 2 years old, because many mothers are familiar with this ailment.Despite the fact that it is considered not dangerous and easily curable, it, however, provokes the development of severe complications up to the complete loss of vision in the child.Avoid these consequences can only be with the right treatment.About what symptoms can be diagnosed this disease, and also how to treat conjunctivitis to a child of two years old, this material will be discussed.

What it is

Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye (conjunctiva), which can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, allergens.

It is less likely to cause dust or mechanical damage.In children under the age of 3, such diseases account for 30% of all pathologies, with age, part of them decreases.However, it is in this period of development that such a disease can lead to visual impairment, dacryocystis, phlegmon of the lacrimal sac and keratitis.

In almost all cases, conjunctivitis has a good prognosis, is quickly treated and leaves no traces after undergoing a full course of procedures.However, for this it is necessary at the first suspicion of this ailment to consult specialists: pediatrician, allergist, ophthalmologist.

Causes

Conjunctivitis in children of years can have a different nature.Most often, the onset of the disease:

• Fungus.With this pathogen, as a rule, purulent discharge of a yellowish or greenish color is observed.
• Bacteria - staphylococci, pneumococci and other microorganisms.Often in children 2 years of age, conjunctivitis is accompanied by bacterial rhinitis. In this case, the infection can be transferred from the nasal cavity to the mucous eyes by simply touching dirty hands.
• Viruses - measles, smallpox, rhinovirus, herpes virus and others.When a disease of this nature, as a rule, purulent discharge is not observed, the disease is accompanied by the catarrhal stage. Body temperature may increase.
• Allergens - dust, plants, animal hair and stuff.

In rare cases, conjunctivitis occurs due to the ingress of dust into the eye, small particles, as well as mechanical trauma.

The disease is transmitted mainly by contacting the personal belongings of another patient (for example, through a common towel), and it can also spread by airborne droplets.

Symptoms

In the overwhelming majority of cases, conjunctivitis in children of 2 years has a pronounced symptomatology, which can manifest itself in such characteristic for this ailment signs:

• redness of the eyes;
• edema of the eyelids, inflammation of the conjunctiva(the main symptom that accompanies all forms of the disease);
• increased tear;
• itching;
• decreased activity, increased fatigue, irritability in the child.
• the appearance of pus(most often observed with bacterial as well as fungal form of the disease);
• fear of light;
• blepharospasm.

One of the symptoms - the child is constantly rubbing his eyes

The body temperature in a child with conjunctivitis increases very rarely. The exception is especially complicated diseases, as well as the appearance of a disease on the background of concomitant bacterial or rhinoviral disease.

Often conjunctivitis occurs in children locally. The disease can only affect the mucosa of one eye. The ailment may be accompanied by a slight decrease in vision, which, meanwhile, is restored immediately after recovery.

Symptomatology of the disease with proper treatment is removed in a couple of days, but it can take place independently and without qualified help. However, in this case, the disease simply turns into a chronic form and will make itself felt at the next weakening of the body.In order that this does not happen, it is necessary to consult a doctor when the first signs of conjunctivitis appear.

Diagnostics

If any symptoms of conjunctivitis appear, you should urgently contact a pediatric specialist for an ophthalmologist, as well as an allergist (if the allergic nature of the disease is not excluded).The doctor will examine the patient, collect anamnesis, prescribe ophthalmic and laboratory tests, depending on the nature, as well as the intensity of the manifestation of the disease.

In the event that there is a suspicion of the allergic nature of conjunctivitis, the doctor may prescribe skin Allergic tests to establish the exact cause of the disease and additional consultation with a narrow specialist.

After all the diagnostic stages have been completed, the child will be treated. As a rule, it is carried out at home.Hospitalization is needed only in cases when the disease is accompanied by complications.

Treatment

Conjunctivitis is recommended to be treated at home, a sick child is recommended to isolate it from healthy family members.At the same time, an important role in the productive treatment is played by the observance of sanitary and hygienic standards, special treatment of objects personal hygiene of the patient, adherence to bed rest, and strict implementation of measures for treating patients with eyes.

As for the therapy of conjunctivitis, it is prescribed depending on the nature of the disease and includes mainly local agents: antimicrobial, antiviral or antifungal drugs, drops of vasoconstrictive action for the removal of edema, as well as generic drugs for strengthening immunity.The treatment plan is compiled by the doctor on an individual basis.However, the course duration for the usual course of the disease is from 10 to 13 days.Taking medication should be continued even in that case. if the symptoms of the illness disappear before the specified time, otherwise a relapse is possible.

During the treatment of conjunctivitis, it is strictly forbidden to make compresses and lotions for children, since they are a favorable environment for the reproduction of microbes. Such methods of treatment aggravate the situation rather than relieve the symptoms of the disease.

To wash the eye, you can also use folk recipes of herbal decoctions.However, they are recommended to be used mainly as an adjuvant with the permission of the attending physician.Use them as a basic medicine in the fight against infectious diseases can not.To cope with an infection such means can not, and therefore treatment leads them most often only to the removal of symptoms. The disease continues to progress and may give complications.

Types of conjunctivitis

Complications

In the absence of systematic treatment of conjunctivitis, misidentification of the cause of the disease, and reduced immunity of the child, this disease can give a number of complications.Among them:

1. Acute otitis media- short-term inflammation of the middle ear;
2. Meningitis- infection of meninges;
3. Sepsis- blood poisoning.

Acute otitis occurs in every fourth child who has a conjunctivitis of infectious nature. This disease, although it causes significant difficulties, can still be treated fairly quickly.Sepsis and meningitis are much more rare complications of infectious conjunctivitis, they are usually brewed in children with weak immunity in the absence of systematic treatment.Meanwhile, such complications can lead to serious consequences, even death.Therefore, all parents are advised to keep on special control the course of treatment of children's conjunctivitis. In order to be able to consult a doctor at the first suspicions of complications.

Prevention of the occurrence of such complications is partly helped by prevention.That is why, especially when caring for children of such a small age, it is necessary to pay special attention to it.

Prevention

It is almost impossible to completely eliminate the risk of conjunctivitis in a child.However, it is possible to minimize it at the expense of preventive measures. They include:

• Isolation of children who have acute conjunctivitis in quarantine;
• Thorough handling of the child's personal items before use(handkerchiefs, towels and other hygiene items);
• Teaching the child to comply with sanitary and hygienic requirements;
• Strengthening the immunity of the baby.

In the event that there is a tendency to allergic reactions in the child, it is necessary to undergo a test to identify the allergen and minimize contact with the baby with it.

Remember that these activities will be effective only if you will conduct them systematically.And this means that pay attention to the implementation of the child's hygiene rules, the level of his immunity, as well as the state personal things need to be constantly, and not only in those periods when there is a surge of the disease in your surrounded by.

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What parents need to know in order to prevent myopia in school-age children.

Myopia of mild degree in pregnancy: in what it manifests itself and how it affects the development of the fetus - read here.

Than to treat a conjunctivitis at pregnancy: http://eyesdocs.ru/zabolevaniya/konyunktivit/konyunktivit-pri-beremennosti-kak-reagirovat-kak-lechit.html

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conclusions

In general, conjunctivitis in a child at 2 years old is a disease that can be treated quite well.With the right selection of funds and a schedule of taking medications, it can be removed in just a few days.However, success in this case is possible only with strict adherence to medical recommendations, as well as the implementation of all measures for the prevention of complications and re-infection. It is also important to establish the cause and what causes conjunctivitis in a child at this age.