What Are Styes and How To Treat Them
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Such a bummer, the kids have sty.
Although its nothing serious but I can't figure out why Ozzy's sty keeps on recurring! Because of his sty, the baby got one too!!! =( The doctor said I should not be alarmed and that it's pretty common for kids to have these things but I can't help wonder if I'm doing something wrong somewhere why my kids have them. I have an eye ointment for them and Ozzy even took antibiotics for a week...hai time to visit the pedia again.
What Causes Styes?
info from wisegeek.com
Styes are caused by Staphylococcal bacteria. This type of bacteria can usually be found in the nasal passages and is easily passed to the eye. Staphylococcal is passed by rubbing the nose and then touching the eye area. The gland situated at the end of eyelid may then become infected.
Styes are not detrimental to the eyes or to eyesight. Pain will occur, followed by a swelling or redness. The eye area will also be tender to the touch. Some stye sufferers find that the whole eye area becomes swollen, while for others, only the infected area swells. The eye may also tend to water and become blurry.
The stye itself appears as small spot or pimple. The Staphylococcal bacteria causes a pus-filled abscess. Styes usually disappear within a few days. The stye will dissipate and the pimple will disappear, or sometimes the pimple will burst.
There is a simple procedure to help with the reduction of styes. Apply a hot cloth to the stye for around 10 to 15 minutes. By doing this about four times a day, you can ease the discomfort and bring out a head to the stye. Styes are much like pimples in that they can pop when this type of pressure is applied. The pus will drain away and the stye should disappear.
Do not be tempted to pop a stye as you would a pimple. The application of hot compresses is only intended to aid the stye's dissipation. There are also antibiotic creams that can be administered by a doctor. These are useful if styes are a frequent occurrence.
Another eye bump that is commonly mistaken for a stye is a chalazion. This small bump will appear on the eyelid due to blocked oil glands. The chalazion has the same characteristics as the stye, but appears as a hard round pimple on the eyelid. Chalazions can last for a few months, but, like styes, they are harmless.
Styes are normally harmless, but if they are frequent and do not disappear, then an eye doctor should be consulted. The stye may need to be opened and drained. Although not too serious, this procedure should only be performed by a qualified eye doctor.
This info I got from Babycenter.com
How do I treat it?
Most sties will open and drain on their own within a few days, but you may be able to help your baby's sty heal more quickly with a simple home remedy. Just wet a clean washcloth with warm (not hot) water and apply it to your baby's infected eye. Although he'll probably wiggle and resist you, try to hold the compress in place for ten to 15 minutes at a time, and repeat three or four times a day. The process might go more smoothly if you apply the compress when your baby's asleep or distracted by a feeding. The heat will draw the pus to the front of the sty, making it break open and drain more quickly than it would on its own.
Never squeeze or try to pop a sty. Besides causing pain, it could make the infection worse. Once the sty drains, wash your baby's eyelid with a clean cloth or cotton ball and some warm water to keep the infected pus from spreading. Any swelling should disappear within a week.
If your baby has an infection in only one eye, don't use the same washcloth to clean both eyes. The bacteria can spread from one eye to the other or to other people's eyes, so don't share a washcloth or towel with your baby, and wash your hands thoroughly after touching his eyes. Also wash your baby's hands.
You don't need to keep your baby home from daycare because of his sty. Just try to give him his treatments before and after daycare hours. Ask the daycare staff to wash your baby's hands throughout the day and to take care not to share his washcloth or towel with another child.
When should I call the doctor?
Have the doctor take a look at the sty if your baby is 3 months old or younger. If your baby is at least 4 months old, call his doctor if the redness and swelling extend to the entire lid or to the opposite lid (top or bottom). These may be signs that your baby is developing periorbital cellulitis. (Sties are one of the most common causes of this more serious infection.) Also call your doctor if your baby's sty hasn't drained after a week of using warm compresses, or if he has more than one sty at a time or a new one pops up as soon as the first one clears. Your baby's doctor will probably recommend warm compresses, and in most cases this is all that's needed. But she may also prescribe antibiotic ointment to help clear up the infection. In some instances, an oral antibiotic is also prescribed. In the rare case of a severe infection, your child's doctor may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who can open and drain the sty.
How can I prevent my baby from getting another sty?
Unfortunately, you can't do much to keep him from getting a sty. Children get them more often than adults, and some just seem more prone to them than others.
How do I treat it? Most sties will open and drain on their own within a few days, but you may be able to help your baby's sty heal more quickly with a simple home remedy. Just wet a clean washcloth with warm (not hot) water and apply it to your baby's infected eye. Although he'll probably wiggle and resist you, try to hold the compress in place for ten to 15 minutes at a time, and repeat three or four times a day. The process might go more smoothly if you apply the compress when your baby's asleep or distracted by a feeding. The heat will draw the pus to the front of the sty, making it break open and drain more quickly than it would on its own.
Never squeeze or try to pop a sty. Besides causing pain, it could make the infection worse. Once the sty drains, wash your baby's eyelid with a clean cloth or cotton ball and some warm water to keep the infected pus from spreading. Any swelling should disappear within a week.
If your baby has an infection in only one eye, don't use the same washcloth to clean both eyes. The bacteria can spread from one eye to the other or to other people's eyes, so don't share a washcloth or towel with your baby, and wash your hands thoroughly after touching his eyes. Also wash your baby's hands.
You don't need to keep your baby home from daycare because of his sty. Just try to give him his treatments before and after daycare hours. Ask the daycare staff to wash your baby's hands throughout the day and to take care not to share his washcloth or towel with another child.
When should I call the doctor?
Have the doctor take a look at the sty if your baby is 3 months old or younger. If your baby is at least 4 months old, call his doctor if the redness and swelling extend to the entire lid or to the opposite lid (top or bottom). These may be signs that your baby is developing periorbital cellulitis. (Sties are one of the most common causes of this more serious infection.) Also call your doctor if your baby's sty hasn't drained after a week of using warm compresses, or if he has more than one sty at a time or a new one pops up as soon as the first one clears. Your baby's doctor will probably recommend warm compresses, and in most cases this is all that's needed. But she may also prescribe antibiotic ointment to help clear up the infection. In some instances, an oral antibiotic is also prescribed. In the rare case of a severe infection, your child's doctor may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who can open and drain the sty.
How can I prevent my baby from getting another sty?
Unfortunately, you can't do much to keep him from getting a sty. Children get them more often than adults, and some just seem more prone to them than others.
1 comments:
In some instances, an oral antibiotic is also prescribed. In the rare case of a severe infection, your child's doctor may refer you to a pediatric ophthalmologist, who can open and drain the sty.
Post a Comment