Conjunctivitis in newborns? Safe ways to manage it

If conjunctivitis in newborns is not cared for and treated correctly, it can lead to complications such as corneal ulcers and blindness. The disease can spread rapidly and there is still no vaccine to prevent it. So what should parents do when their child has conjunctivitis? Read the following article with Momby for quick and safe ways to manage it!

Causes of conjunctivitis in children

• Conjunctivitis in children is caused by viruses. According to research on the outbreaks in early 2023 by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, 2 groups of viruses cause conjunctivitis: Enterovirus and Adenovirus. Most cases are caused by Enterovirus, accounting for 86%, and the rest by Adenovirus. Patients infected by either group can have symptoms ranging from severe to mild. However, Enterovirus disease is more contagious, while Adenovirus disease carries a higher risk of becoming chronic.
• The disease can spread even before symptoms appear. While someone has conjunctivitis, and even 3 days after recovering, it can still spread to others.
• In addition, conjunctivitis can be caused by other agents such as bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis), the herpes virus, irritation from ingredients in eye drops, or allergies.

Symptoms of conjunctivitis

Below are the symptoms of conjunctivitis

• Red eyes: this is the typical symptom of conjunctivitis. If treated promptly, the disease rarely causes serious complications affecting eyesight.
• Itchy or gritty eyes: the person will feel itching, burning or discomfort in the eyes. Symptoms start in one eye and spread to the other a few days later.
• Lots of eye discharge: heavy watering is common in viral or allergic conjunctivitis. Bacterial conjunctivitis produces yellow-green pus-like discharge.
• Sensitivity to light: the person may be mildly sensitive to light. Furthermore, some serious symptoms may appear such as severe eye pain, reduced vision, sensitivity to light,… which may be due to a severe infection spreading beyond the conjunctiva and inflammation inside the eye. If these symptoms appear, see a doctor for prompt treatment.
• Crusting and sticky eyes on waking: discharge builds up during sleep, making the eyelids stick together on waking.
• Watery eyes: people usually have more tears if conjunctivitis is caused by a virus or allergy.

Is conjunctivitis contagious?

Conjunctivitis is contagious and easily breaks out into epidemics. It is a common illness that affects all ages and rises when the seasons change. A person can get conjunctivitis many times. It spreads through direct or indirect contact with the eye discharge of an infected person. That is why environments such as offices, classrooms and public places, …

Specifically, conjunctivitis can spread from person to person in the following ways:

• Direct contact with an infected person through tears, eye discharge ....
• Touching contaminated objects such as door handles, remote controls, keys, ...or sharing personal items such as face towels, toothbrushes, pillows...
• Household water contaminated with germs
• Habitually touching the nose and mouth or rubbing the eyes
• When a person with conjunctivitis talks or sneezes, the virus can pass in saliva from the sick person to a healthy one.
• In public places with high population density, the disease spreads and breaks out into epidemics even more easily.

4 important things to remember when your child has conjunctivitis

To avoid unnecessary consequences when your child has conjunctivitis, keep the following 4 points in mind:

• When your child has unusual eye symptoms, take them to an eye specialist straight away for prompt treatment to avoid complications.
• Never treat your child yourself with word-of-mouth or online remedies such as steaming with betel leaves or mulberry leaves, applying onion bulbs, or putting breast milk into the child's eyes…
• Do not buy medicines yourself without a doctor's prescription, as this may make the condition worse.
• Treating the wrong condition or using the wrong medicine can lead to serious, regrettable consequences such as reduced vision, corneal ulcers, even blindness....

How to prevent conjunctivitis in children

To actively prevent conjunctivitis, the General Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health recommends that people follow these 5 measures:

• Wash hands regularly with soap and clean water; avoid rubbing the eyes, nose and mouth with your hands; do not share personal items such as eye drop bottles, face towels, glasses, face masks…
• Clean the eyes, nose and throat every day with saline solution and ordinary eye drops and nose drops.
• Use soap or ordinary disinfectants to disinfect the sick person's belongings and items.
• People who have or are suspected of having conjunctivitis should limit contact with others and wear a face mask.
• Go to a health facility for timely examination, advice and treatment. Do not treat yourself without guidance from health workers.

Most cases of conjunctivitis in children are benign and clear up after about 7 days. However, parents should not be complacent about treatment and care, to avoid unnecessary dangerous complications. The disease can affect anyone and is highly contagious and prone to outbreaks, so take active steps to protect your child from conjunctivitis!

Reference:
Suc khoe & Doi song (Health & Life)