Many mothers ask the question: “We have a newborn child, his eye is festering. What should we do? There can be no discussion here! A festering eye in a newborn is a reason to seek medical help.
A he althy baby is born practically sterile. In the very first seconds of life, his body is faced with a huge flow of bacteria, viruses, allergens, and simply various substances. The baby's immunity actively "learns" the world around it, fights, "learns" and "remembers". But for the same reason, babies are very susceptible to infections during the first months.
If parents noticed a festering eye in a newborn, then most likely the baby has inflammation of the eyeball shell - conjunctivitis. This is one of the main reasons why you should see an ophthalmologist. Every parent should understand this.
Why do newborn eyes fester
The shell of the eyeball - the conjunctiva - is constantly washed by a bactericidal tear. In newborns, blockage of the lacrimal glands by remnants of embryonic tissue is common (doctors call this condition "dacryocystitis"). Due to the lack of tears, it dries up and becomes vulnerable to germs, in a childconjunctivitis develops. In principle, this disease, for its own reason, can be either purely bacterial or viral, or allergic or autoimmune. But it is a festering eye in a newborn that is a clear sign of a bacterial infection.
Mothers should periodically wash the eyes of their babies, using both natural (chamomile infusion, decoction of strong brewed tea) and artificial (antibacterial drops, Furacilin) substances. A festering eye in a newborn is easier to prevent than to treat. Of course, in conditions of relative he alth, it is better to use the natural remedies indicated above. But if conjunctivitis has developed, then the use of drugs becomes mandatory (of course, after consultation with an ophthalmologist).
How to properly wash a festering eye in a newborn
1. Take a clean gauze swab (from a pharmacy or self-made), apply a solution of the drug "Furacilin" or chamomile infusion on it.
2. With one gentle movement, draw from the outer edge of the eye to the inner edge of the nose, removing pus.
3. Throw away the tampon. If washing needs to be repeated, then we use a new clean one, which we re-wet in the solution.
After washing, you can drip antibacterial drops prescribed by your doctor.
If after the procedure you notice that the eye continues to water, then the lacrimal canal is probably blocked. The only thing that can then be done at home is to performmassage.
1. Wash your hands thoroughly.
2. With up and down movements, we massage the corners of the eyes near the bridge of the nose (there are lacrimal sacs here). It is necessary to make 6-10 movements with a certain effort.
3. An indicator of the effectiveness of massage is purulent discharge from the lacrimal glands. You can remove them using the washing described above.
Remember that all these procedures should be performed only after consultation and examination by a pediatric ophthalmologist. It is possible that the child will need to flush the tear ducts. This process is quite serious, because it is carried out only by a specialist. Without this inpatient procedure, inflammation will reappear over and over again.
