conjunctivitis

[kamath]

my so has a rather bad cold and possible conjunctivitis - going to keep an eye on it to see how it develops. Just wondering if anyone know how to treat it before it gets to red or sore. Also does anyone know if it means time off nursery?

Thanks in advance x

[Strawbs]

My son got it and I was told to take him to docs and get some cream and he could come back it had been applied for 24 hours.. In the mean time wipe / clean regularly with cooled boiled water and cotton wool. Wash your hands thoroughly before and after to minimise spreading..

[bumpy]

Small amount of salt in cooled boiled water - use separate pieces of cotton wool per eye.

[hellosailor]

I believe conjunctivitis means they can't go to nursery as it's incredibly infectious, hope it doesn't develop, grotty.

If it is conjunctivitis and you end up getting drops from the doc, my advice would be to ask for the ointment instead of the drops, the ointment has twice as much of the active ingredient as the drops and is twice as effective in my experience! Plus easier to put enough of the ointment on effectively with a wriggly child than getting the drop to plop into the eye rather than rolling out etc. For some reason they always seem to offer he drops as a first line not the ointment, so I have learnt to ask for ointment!

[susyp]

easier to get the drops as soon as you spot it as it takes longer to treat once it is full blown - that's my experience anyway. Be prepared to virtually kneel on your child to get the drops in . I think it's the only time I've had to forcibly medicate her! But it got better v quickly. Good to know about ointment though I will definitely ask for that next time!

susypx

[kamath]

thank you all. I used cooled boiled water through the night and he seems fixed this morning. he was sick all night long so looks like we have a nasty bug ! yippee ! laundry and smell of sick everywhere ! Think he must of had a small infection . but will keep an eye on it ( excuse the pun!) x Thank you all again

[kamath]

oops spoke too soon. Its all weepy again. Doctors tomorrow - oh the joy ! think this is a nasty bug - sickness, sore eyes , bad cold and temperature !

[Trish]

You can get the ointment over he counter without a prescription.

[dollydaydream]

Hello,

To clear conjuctivitus you need drops or cream cholrophenical you can get it from the chemist but they may be reluctant to give it to you for an infant you may need to go to the doctors.

[nunheadmum]

If a young kid has a bad cold, weepy eyes might just be the cold - not conjunctivitis. (Apparently the various bits in the head are so close together in a little one that it comes out both ways.) Our GP never prescribes drops in these circumstances and our nursery accepted the explanation - although we usually had to go to the GP to prove it wasn't anything more. Simply bathing with warm water if the lashes got stuck after sleep usually did the trick.

[TE44]

I have always used castor oil, a little bit on cotton wool wiped over the eye at bedtime, id wait till they were sleeping when very young. Although its more difficult to get now, you can get it from health shop.

[Suzanne Cummings]

You can buy Optrex drops for 2+ year olds over the counter. I just did so at Lloyds pharmacy on North Cross Road.

[Norfolkvillas]

I have heard the same as Nunhead mum, and that apparently the way to tell is that with conjunctivitis the whites of the eyes go very red and bloodshot.