Conjunctivitis, an eye infection commonly referred to as pink eye, occurs in people of every age group. Although children do not have a tendency toward pink eye, the infection often involves children since certain forms of the infection are contagious and transmit easily. Children may not take hygienic measures when around another child or adult with the condition, and this increases the likelihood of a child contracting pink eye. Detecting early signs may allow you to prevent further exposure to your child.
Symptoms
The visible sign of pink eye is eye redness. The level of redness will vary depending on the severity of the infection. A person with pink eye may also experience itching, discomfort, eyelid swelling and tearing. The affected eye may also have a thick, yellowish drainage.
Causes
Pink eye may stem from a variety of sources. This includes bacteria, virus, fungi or an allergic reaction, but only the bacterial form and viral form have contagious properties. The viral form of conjunctivitis often occurs when you or your child has the common cold virus. The bacterial and viral forms may stem from various sources. If your child has seasonal allergies, this may affect her eyes and cause pink eye symptoms.
Transmission
Since pink eye causes eye itching and discomfort many young children with the infection will rub their eyes then touch chairs, toys or other objects in a room. If your child touches the object after the child with viral or bacterial pink eye and then touches her own eye, this will pass along the infection easily. As well, if your child has frequent colds, this may increase the occurrence of the infection.
Prevention
Frequent hand washing will often help prevent contagious pink eye. Tell your child not to touch her face or rub her eyes, especially if she has a friend with pink eye. Talk about the symptoms of pink eye, and ask your child to tell you if her playmates or classmates have signs of the condition. If you have concerns, talk with your child's teacher about outbreaks of pink eye and how the teacher addresses this in the classroom. Ask if he sends the infected child to the office to go home or if he allows the child to stay in the classroom. If the child stays at school, talk with the teacher about sanitizing toys and surfaces in the room, as well as having the children wash their hands more often.
