Conjunctivitis advice please!

[Cazz]

My almost two and half year old dd has eye drops for conjunctivitis which I started using last night. Today she hasn't had much discharge but her eyes are quite puffy and there is a lot of redness underneath them. Is this normal or could it be a side effect of the drops (I've accidentally thrown away the information leaflet )

Also, any tips on how to get the drops into her eyes? She cries and shuts them so tightly that I have to do it quickly when she does open a little bit - I'm not sure the full drop is going in. I don't want to do it when she's asleep as the leaflet mentioned because we've had so many problems at bedtime that I definetly don't want to risk waking her when she IS asleep!

My 12 year old son came home from spending the afternoon with his friend and he now has a gunky eye! I'll try and get him some drops tomorrow (do I have to see a doctor or can I just go to a pharmacist?) but will he be able to go to school on Tuesday? If not, do they have to stay off until it's cleared up completely? (Doctor told me to give dd drops until it appeared to have gone and then an extra 2 days to be sure - that would be a long time off school!)

I'm meant to be looking after 2 little lo's on Tuesday - would I have to close?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

[Shivvie]

Hi. Sorry your children have conjunctivitis - it's horrible isn't it?

When my girls were younger, they were exactly the same about drops. I just used to get them to close their eyes and drop them right into the corner (next to their nose). Their eyes were closed at the time, but I made sure that they stayed lying down until they had opened their eyes, and this caused the liquid to go into their eye. They hated it, but it did work!

You can buy over the counter drops for conjunctivitis, Optrex do one which you get from the pharmacy.

As for minding on Tuesday, we've been given information from our GP that, once drops have been administered for 48 hours, then the eyes shouldn't be infectious anymore, so you should be ok for Tuesday (presuming your son will be at school anyway?)

Hope this helps x

[snufflepuff]

My mindee had it last month so i looked in to it all.
Once they are being treated with antibiotic drops they are fine to be back in childcare/ school etc. Although it is highly contagious, it is not dangerous. Just like the common cold- not very nice, very annoying, but not dangerous and no need to stay away from everyone. (I think it was patient.co.uk i looked at, plus mindees mum spoke to the GP on the phone while at my house and he said the same sort of thing)
With regards to minding, it might be worth letting parents know and them let them decide if they want to bring their child or not.
Its best to try to keep the eyes clean too- keep wiping them with cooled boiled water and cotton wool, using a fresh piece for each eye.

[babs]

my great aunt insists on cold tea bags.. never done it my self never had too.. (she 87) still has codliver oil everymornig and swears by ginger too... shes never ill ...

[sonia ann]

I just used to get them to close their eyes and drop them right into the corner (next to their nose). Their eyes were closed at the time, but I made sure that they stayed lying down until they had opened their eyes, and this caused the liquid to go into their eye.


Its best to try to keep the eyes clean too- keep wiping them with cooled boiled water and cotton wool, using a fresh piece for each eye.

......................both very good advice...................

[samgeordie]

my 5yr old daughter had this a few weeks ago, went to school fine, came home with a gunky eye. Took her to the drs who gave her drops and was advised to keep her off school for 24hrs to allow drops to start working. The school didnt actually have an exclusion period for it. The drops were hard to get in her eyes and it was pot luck most of the time, make sure you and your dd wash hands all the time, give dd their own towel for no-one else to use as well. I found the drops worked pretty quick and within a couple of days there was no discharge and they just looked a bit pink.

You should be fine by Tuesday, i would just advise parents of the situation, say you are happy to take kids, will have good hygiene control etc and then its up to them if they send them.