Parenting is akin to a full-time role, with maintaining your children’s health ranking high on the list of responsibilities. Despite our best efforts to teach them hygiene practices like washing their hands and avoiding touching their eyes or mouths, kids might not always heed our advice.
So, when the unavoidable occurs and your child falls ill, or you catch the illness yourself, especially something like conjunctivitis (commonly known as pink eye), it often requires a blend of home remedies and medical intervention to start healing.
Here’s a detailed guide on how to alleviate pink eye symptoms for both you and your child.
Understanding How Pink Eye Spreads
Pink eye is highly infectious, spreading through direct contact or sharing items, emphasizing the importance of hand hygiene and covering coughs to prevent its transmission. It can be contagious before symptoms emerge and continues until they have resolved.
Neonatal Conjunctivitis
Newborns can contract pink eye during birth if the parent has a sexually transmitted infection (STI), termed neonatal conjunctivitis. Regular STI screenings during pregnancy and preventive measures like antibiotic eye drops after birth help protect newborns from this condition.
Three Steps to Treat Pink Eye in Children and Adults
Seeking prompt relief is crucial if you or your child contracts pink eye. Here are three steps to follow:
1. Get a Proper Diagnosis
Since treatment varies depending on the type of conjunctivitis, identifying whether it’s viral, bacterial, allergic, or caused by irritants is essential. Misdiagnosis can lead to ineffective treatment, so consulting a healthcare provider for an accurate diagnosis is critical, especially for infants under three months.
2. Follow Prescribed Medication Regimens
Treatment timelines can vary, but symptoms often improve within 1-2 weeks. For viral conjunctivitis, which antibiotics cannot treat, symptom relief typically comes from home care and sometimes antihistamines. Bacterial infections might require antibiotics to reduce duration and infectiousness, with kids often returning to school 24 hours after starting antibiotics if symptoms improve. For allergic or irritant conjunctivitis, removing allergens and using over-the-counter or prescribed remedies can offer relief.
3. Employ Home Remedies for Additional Relief
Besides medical treatments, simple home remedies can provide comfort:
- Keep the affected eyes clean by gently wiping discharge away from the inner to the outer edge of the eye using a clean, slightly wet tissue for each wipe.
- Wash hands thoroughly before and after touching the eyes.
- Apply warm or cool compresses with a clean washcloth for each eye to reduce swelling and discomfort.
- Over-the-counter remedies, including natural tear drops and NSAIDs, can alleviate symptoms. Specialized eye drops for pink eye or those containing antihistamines may also be recommended for allergic conjunctivitis.
Quickly Alleviating Pink Eye
Conjunctivitis can significantly affect comfort and daily activities, but adopting the right treatment strategies can hasten recovery for you or your child.
