Conjunctivitis in a newborn is most infectious in nature. Infection is passed to the child during birth from the mother, or after birth - in this case, the source of infection can be any person caring for a child. Most often conjunctivitis occur in premature infants or neonates that suffer some congenital diseases.
Causes of neonatal conjunctivitis
Most often Conjunctivitis is infectious character and develops a few days after birth - this is due to the fact that the infection occurs during birth or immediately after birth. In most cases the source of infection is the mother, who suffers from infectious and pelvic inflammatory disease.
The most susceptible weakened premature, underweight babies, who in utero receives less nutrients and oxygen on the background of placental insufficiency
Placental insufficiency - deviation from the norm
. The body of the child is unable to deal with a variety of microorganisms - potential pathogens of various infections. Conjunctivitis in newborns can be one of the manifestations of intrauterine infection. Sometimes the basis of conjunctivitis is nasolacrimal duct obstruction - this pathology is often found in newborns and is held in a few days or weeks. An inflammation of a gateway infection.
The most common cause of conjunctivitis in the newborn is Staphylococcus aureus. But conjunctivitis can be caused by other pathogens: pneumococci, streptococci, Escherichia coli, Hamid, gonococci, herpes simplex virus
Herpes simplex - in fact, not so simple
and so on.
At the same time we can not exclude the newborn baby, and even allergic autoimmune (allergic to its own tissues) conjunctivitis.
Conjunctivitis in infants (children under one year) may also have very different origins, contamination with infectious agents is usually from those around the child's relatives. Sometimes allergic conjunctivitis associated with the introduction of baby foods
Introduce solid foods - how not to be mistaken with a choice of products?
. In order to understand why the allergic process has begun, the child is recommended to introduce solid foods gradually, as monoproduct.
Conjunctivitis in newborns - the main symptoms
Symptoms of conjunctivitis in the newborn depend on the general condition of the child and the degree of pathogenicity (virulence) of the pathogen causing the disease.
The main symptoms are watery staphylococcal conjunctivitis, photophobia, eyelid edema and conjunctival redness. At the same time there can be small mucus
Mucus - what is the norm for a healthy woman
eyes. Gradually, the amount of discharge increases, it becomes purulent. Upon infection during childbirth first symptoms appear within one-two days. Staphylococcal conjunctivitis occurs in infants as well as a newborn.
Heavy and can proceed rapidly chlamydial conjunctivitis in the newborn, which often develop within two weeks after delivery. Danger of chlamydial conjunctivitis is a frequent transition of acute to chronic inflammation, which is much more difficult to cure.
The greatest danger is gonorrheal conjunctivitis in the newborn. Today, fortunately, this danger is virtually eliminated, since all children immediately after birth, chemoprophylaxis ophthalmia. If you do not, then the development of ophthalmia of the newborn is quite possible, since the disease often goes unnoticed today, not always revealed in the survey, and many women are not aware of its presence. Infections danger is that the infection moves quickly on the cornea, which formed initially infiltrates and then ulcers, are prone to perforation (perforation). This infection gets into the inner eye tissues, destroying them. Ophthalmia leads to incurable blindness.
When conjunctivitis caused by herpes simplex virus, the conjunctiva appear small transparent bubbles. The disease is accompanied by severe itching, the child becomes very restless, not sleeping, bad takes chest and behind in physical development. The disease often runs a chronic, long flowing conjunctivitis in infants may also be the result of herpes infection.
Than to treat conjunctivitis in the newborn
Conjunctivitis in newborns should be treated only by a doctor, as any local infectious inflammation in newborns can always go to the generalized, it has spread to the entire body.
If the process is purulent, the treatment of conjunctivitis in the newborn start immediately, without waiting for the results of the survey. Eyes were washed with disinfectant, antibacterial drops instilled. If necessary, designate a common treatment.
The most important thing in the treatment of conjunctivitis in the newborn - is early detection and adequate treatment, appointed expert.
Galina Romanenko