Eye Infection or Something Else

Hello I am a mother of three and my children are all big but my two sister are also daycare provider. My kids are 11,14 and 27, but that sound like the pink eye to me and if she have cold like mucus in her eyes off and on all day she have the pink eye and someone else can catch it. Good luck AmandaD From A.

Sounds like pink eye. I can get really bad if not treated right away. My 9 yr. old got it and got really sick with it.

It could be allergies. I wouldn't give my child anything without my doctor seeing them physically. Doctors tend to write up prescriptions to often for the wrong thing.

Hi A.. It does sound like pink eye, but I am also surprised that the doctor prescribed meds without seeing her again. My daughter's pediatrician said she would never prescribe drops for pink eye without examining her first because usually pink eye and ear infections go hand-in-hand with each other. I know she just finished antibiotics for her ear infection, but I would take her back to the doctor and have her ears looked at again. I would think that the doctor would also want to verify that it really is pink eye before having your child take meds that may not be necessary.

Take care,
K.

PINK EYE!!!
Get her into the doctor right away!

It definitely sounds like an eye infection to me. Eye infections (Pink Eye or conjuctivitous) are very contagious and if your child is in contact with other children (school, daycare, etc...) it's very easy to pick up. You might check to see if any other children have had it recently. Follow the doctors directions for the medicine, don't stop using it once it looks better, follow the directions and make sure you wash your hands very well, often especially after applying medicine or cleaning the childs eyes. You don't want to get it too.

Both of my daughters have experienced the same thing. If there is a cold going around, they can cause both eye and ear infections. My youngest ends up with both most times she has a head cold. The ear infection probably came on if she were fighting off a cold and the eye infection is secondary.

Good Luck!

Hi A., My son does this when he has a cold and when his allergies get really bad. I have horrible sinus problems and it hurts like crazy to lay down sometimes. I would take her in to the doc and fully explain her symptoms and if the doc says its another infection ask the doc WHY he thinks that and explain it to you in as much detail as he can untill you understand. Doctors should never call in antibiotics without seeing the child unless the child has a history of recurrent infections.

A. M

my 6yr old daughter just recently had the red eye crusty thing, we are in FL, and the doctor said there had been a lot of that going on and it was due to allergies, anyone with allergies is going nuts right about now here. Don't know if that'll help but just my experience. She was given drops just in case it was an infection, they were called Vigamox. Good luck :)

Hello,
Sounds like she has pink eye,that's why the dr prescribed the meds to put in her eyes.It is common for that to happen with little ones when they finish off meds.I know from that happening with my boys.

Hello. I am a mom of two girls ages 4 and 6. I am also an RN. I am very surprised your doctor would order antibiotics over the phone without reassessing your daughter. It sounds like she might still have the ear infection if she is still waking up. Or she might have started to develop a cold. I know my girls sometimes wake up with crusty eyes when they are getting a cold. I just put a warm cloth on their faces and they are better. I would change doctors if that is how your doctor is going to treat your daughter esp. after having a double ear infection. Most doctors like to see the patient again after the abx are finished. The only time I have put eye drops in my daughter's eyes is when she had pink eye. So, if her eye is red and itchy, then that would be the only time I would use the drops. Otherwise, it might just be a cold. Anyway you look at it, she should be seen by the doctor to rule out her ear infection and to check out her eyes. I hope this helps. Good job questioning the doctor and using your instincts.

Hi A.--
This is what I used when my sonsgot eye infections--I boiled about 1 1/2 cups of tap water to sterilize it, then let it cool to room temp. I put a pinch of FRESH Arm and Hammer baking soda into the water and dissolved it. I used it as an eyewash every few hours.It is soothing and clearing IMMEDIATELY and has no side effects whatsoever.
Baking soda and water is an alkaline solution, and it is proven that NO BACTERIA can grow in an alkaline environment. The antibiotics in her system knocks out friendly bacterial in a human body along with the unfriendly bacteria. Sounds like your daughter's "environment" is out of balance. Get some organic yogurt with low low sugar (but not fake sugar) and offer it in am and pm to reestablish friendly flora in your child's system...
In my opinion and experience, DUMP the other anitbiotic meds...do it naturally...her body will rebalance its flora and you won't see those symptoms (discharge, sore tummy)...
D.

We are just getting over this exact infection at our house. Just so you know, it will be followed by a nasty, persistent cough, body aches and a sore throat, but virtually no fever. My pediatrician also prescribed Vigamox eye drops, but my 3 yr old daughter refused to use them. Her eye infection cleared up on its own in about 3 days. Everything else took much longer to subside. (This started on March 23rd, but we're both still coughing and still have sore throats.) Fortunately, my husband and son haven't caught it! Ultimately, this is just a rotten virus. Therefore, no amount of antibiotic will clear any of it up.

My pediatrician recommended Delsym for the cough, but it didn't seem to work on this one for either of us. The only thing that helped us rest comfortably was Ibuprofen at bedtime. If your doctor says it's ok, you can give those a shot. Otherwise, lots of unsweetened chamomile tea, chicken soup, tons of hand washing and TLC seems to be the only thing to chase this virus away. Don't you hate when they get sick?? Good luck!

I do know that sometimes the infection that ends up in their ears can be from backed up sinuses. If they treated her for an ear infection on an antiotic that did not help a sinus infection there is a possiblity that the sinus infection is still left behind. If that is true then the sinuses are now pushing the infection out of the tear ducts in your baby's eyes. I have experienced this several times! The crying could be because of the pressure in the sinuses - which could also have been started by a small allergy to the pollin in the air.

If the drops the doctor gave you don't work in one or two days, I would take the baby back in.

Good luck - it is horrible when they are sick like that! I hate to say it, but it really doesn't get much better when they are older - they still don't seem to tell you what hurts (my oldest is 4).

My suggestion is emphatically get a second opinion!!!

S.

Be very careful and watch those eyes. My son(4 years) just now is getting over periorbital cellulitis. Last friday he told me his eye felt a little funny which i thought he may be getting a stye but i didnt see anything. Well by sunday his eye was swollen and watery. We went to the pedi office and they sent me to an eye doc which sent me stright to the ER. This eye infection can come ear infections and sinus infections. However in my son's case it was from what they think was a cut oh his eye which i still am not sure about. He had to be on iv antibioctics and had onitment to put in his eye. Make sure you do the meds just as your told so that she doesnt end up with this. I hope you the best and if you are close to fort myers Dr. Valerie Crandall (pedi eye doc)www.floridavision.com is wonderful!!! She gave me her personal cell phone number and kept in consent contact with me throughout this.

Ask the daycare what they think. Usually they will send the child home if they think that it is an eye infection or pink eye. I would for sure take her in to see the doctor. It could very well be allergies and the medicine that the doc perscribed wouldn't be needed. My son had pink eye and I didn't even know it. When I took him into the doctor, he said that the same bacteria that cause ear and sinus infections can cause eye infections as well. You may want to take her in to see if the ear infection is gone, it may not be, and it spread. Good luck. I feel for you. I have been there many times!!!

I run an in home daycare and have seen this a lot. It sounds like pink eye to me. I am not sure that antibiotics will work on pink eye? If it doesn't clear up within 24 hours I would take her in because pink eye is exstreamly contagious.

Sounds like pink eye to me. I come from a holistic approach adn have used a product called Argentyn 23.It is colloilial silver froma company is Miami ,Fl.888-3288640. I carry it in my holistic clinic.

The eye ointment is the best anti-viral available. Antibiotics do not affect virus invaders of the body, thus an entire new response is becoming more prevelent in reaction to the many types of zoster-herpes virus . We veterans of Service of the Viet Nam War had to educate the American Health Care Systems to just exactly why we have some infections that are secondary to the type your child is being treated for. The antibiotics work as they should on the secondary infection ,the antivirals either effect a reduction, or, in some instances, a stoppage, of the virus. Try to read your prescription paperwork provided with new prescriptions, or , go online w8th the search word ACYCLOVIR
or Valcyclovir, to learn.
Bob

I know that there is a weird virus going around that can affect the eyes and nasal passages. My bf went to the doctor on Wed and they told him to use eye drops and that it could take up to three weeks to go away. They also said to make sure and bleach or disinfect everything that he has touched lately and to change his pillow cases every day.

A.,

Wow, I am sorry you are going through this with your little one. I hope they are feeling better soon!

If you are still breastfeeding, your breastmilk has antibodies in it that will help with irritation or infection (whichever it is). Just put a little in each eye. The effectiveness of the antibodies and healing capabilities are amazing! Hope this helps.

If you have never heard of this before and it sounds weird, it's true. I agree it does sond odd, but it really works for many things.... but does NOT replace a call or trip to the Dr for in person advice if the condition warrants it.... :-)

first I want to commend you for having 2 babies and tell sane enough to write. It sounds like an eye infection. sometimes a antibotics clear up one infection but the baby gets another. Kids don't wash there hands at daycare. they might tell you they do but they don't she could have touched a toy then wiped her eyes or the bedding could have been dusty. She will be fine soon and running around again.

she probably has pink eye... the eye drops will cure it. it is very contagious, so be careful to wash hands and bedding and keep house wiped down with clorox or lysol wipes. be sure you do not touch your eyes after handling hers... regular antibiotics do not cure pink eye. good luck!

It definately sounds like pink eye/conjunctivitis. The classic symptoms are exactly how you described them, watery eyes, gunk in the eyes and waking up with the eyes crusted shut. I would take your daughter to the Dr. right away as it is very contagious and you need to wash all her bedding and stuffed animals she sleeps with. Wash your hands and hers after touching or rubbing her eyes. My son has had this a few times and after two days on antibiotics it is no longer contagious.

Hi A.,
It sounds just like pink-eye to me. My oldest (7) has had it twice. He gave it to me but my Dr. told me the eye drops only make it go away maybe a day early. She said the only reason they give those drops to children is so they can return to school and not infect others. Just keep doing warm compresses and remember not to share towels or washcloths and scrub hands after caring for her eyes. good luck and I hope she's feeling better soon!

Is called Pink eye or conjuntivitis and it can be contagious to your newborn baby. You have to wash clothes EVERYTHING with warm or hot water. You actually have to deinfect her toys with the new wipes that desinfect. Your daughter just have a very strong cold episode.

Hope this helps. C.

Hi A.,

There is an herbal remedy that works great for eye infections, it is Eyebright. It comes in a liquid form and you just use a few drops under the tongue twice a day. Also, for ear infections garlic oil and mullein oil are great. Use a few drops in each ear at night and it will clear up an ear infection in a day or two.

Some infections can become tolerant to medication. Don't be affraid to take a second round of antibiotics, especially if she is showing signs of infection still. Remember what medication actually works so that if she gets this again you can have the doctor prescribe that one first. When my youngest started day care we went through 3 diferent medications. The next time she got pink eye we only used the one that finally worked.

Hi A.,
I understand what you mean . . . my 3rd daughter was only 2 y/o when she began developing these same symptoms. It took me almost a year of going back and forth to the pediatrician before we finally figured it out. She had severe environmental allergies. I took her to a pediatric allergist and sure enough. She was put on Allegra and within 3 years she had outgrown the allergies (rather, had built up enough resistance) that she no longer needs the meds. She just takes over-the-counter stuff now when allergy season rears its ugly head (like now!!).
If you're dealing with a clear runny nose, water (turning into crusty) eyes, ear infections one right after another, sore throats, sometimes a hacking, dry cough . . you might want to try an allergist.
This year those of us with allergies are suffering horribly. The pollens are off the charts and those with allergies are really having a hard time.
Hope this may give you another avenue to check out.
Take care,
C. Mc

hello, i am mommie of 3 amazing little boys- 2 yr, 3 yr, and 6yrs. old. may sound strange but the cold may have settled in her eyes. if she is still in pain i would make sure to give her tylenol to keep her comfortable and if not better by monday- go back to the doctor! there are so many strange things going around these days. i hope it goes well- K.