Are there any home remedies for the pink eye in children?

Pink eye, or conjunctivitis, is most common in children. Unfortunately, since children are not always careful about their hygiene, they are also not always very likely to get treated soon. When you are using home remedies for pink eye in children, the best way to do it, is to clean your hands before using the remedy and once again after you are done. Here are some other remedies to help with a pink eye:

• Wash all the child's bedding in warm water and change the pillowcases every day till the condition is completely cured.
• Heat the area around the eye using a warm compress. You can also use an aromatic compress with a few drops of chamomile oil added to the warm cloth with which you apply heat to the eyes. This will help relieve the itching in the eyes.
• If you are planning on treating pink eye at home, you could use rosewater to clean the eyes. Do this several times a day, using a piece of cotton soaked in rose water.
• Avoid putting anything in the eyes. If your child wears contact lenses, avoid using them till the eye begins to feel better. Instead, use glasses.
• If there is swelling around the eyes, you can wrap up some ice cubes in a towel and apply it around the eyes to relieve the swelling.

answered by A S

What are the symptoms of pink eye in children?

Pink eye is a condition that is very contagious. It is very common in children, especially because they do not practice hygiene very meticulously. There are two main causes of pink eye: bacterial and viral. The symptoms of pink eye in children as also in adults would differ depending on the cause. A virus known as adenovirus is responsible for inflammation in the eyes and subsequent infection. The pink eye symptoms in children, which are caused by an infection from a virus, include a watery discharge from the eyes. This discharge continues to flow. This discharge may be yellow or green in color. The eyes may become pink or red in color. There may be other flu like symptoms including cold cough and nasal drip.

When it comes to bacterial infections, the first sign of pink eye is a gritty feeling in the eye, slight inflammation and eye pain. There may be swelling in the areas around the eyes, redness and slight discharge, which may be green or yellow in color. If you sleep at night, the discharge may keep flowing from your eyes and crust. In children, the eyes may get clamped shut due to the crusting of the discharge. In such a case, parents may have to use a washcloth with warm water to remove the crusted discharge.

answered by G M

Can pink eye in children be prevented?

Pink eye is a contagious condition that can remain infectious till the discharge continues to flow from the eyes. Pink eye is transmitted from one person to another through close contact. People, who live, play and work together, or share certain personal items with each other are most likely to pass the infection from one to the other. It is especially contagious among children, as they do not observe hygiene very meticulously. Preventing pink eye infection is therefore essential as it could hamper daily activities of an individual.

Children who are in preschool or who visit daycare centers are especially susceptible to this condition. Pink eye can spread when a person touches the infected eye and transmits the infection to another through the fingers. Fortunately, preventing pink eye is not as difficult as you would believe. Pink eye can be prevented when you wash your hands thoroughly and clean your eyes regularly.

The best way of treating a pink eye at home is to take special care of hygiene so that you do not spread the virus or bacteria from one person to another. Personal items of use such as clothes, towels and eye makeup should not be shared, especially when you are suffering from any kind of eye infections or conjunctivitis. Eye drops should also not be shared among people as that can increase the likelihood of transmission of the infection.

answered by G R

For How Long is Pink Eye Contagious

Pink eye could be caused by both viruses and bacteria. If you have conjunctivitis because of the bacteria or virus, the condition is contagious and the pink eye contagious period would last the entire time of the infection. There are some kinds of conjunctivitis that are not contagious. These are caused by chemical contact and allergies. When you have an infectious conjunctivitis, there is considerable tearing and discharge from the eyes. This discharge is infectious as it contains cell materials, debris, and infectious microbes. If this discharge is transmitted from one person to another, the bacteria or virus in the discharge is also transferred.

The symptoms of pink eye usually improve as days pass. The pink eye contagious period would usually last from 5 to 7 days, or till the discharge continues to be produced. A child should remain absent from school till the eyes keep tearing. Also, the child should not be made to attend day centers or playgrounds till there is discharge flowing from the eyes. Once the tearing and discharge are gone, the child can return to school or day care.

Viral infections are more contagious than bacterial ones. While viral conjunctivitis treatment would take about 5 to 7 days, bacterial infections become much less contagious once medication has been taken for about 24 hours. When good hygiene is practiced along with medications, the child can return to school after 1 to 2 days.

answered by G M