Need some advice on Pinkeye

[bentley483]

I cannot believe it. The kid who sits next to DD in class had pink-eye last week and was sent to school anyway! She told DD that her mom said it's not contagious. DD came down with it yesterday. Now, DD is going to miss giving her speech in ADVANCE (drug awareness), her Graduation party at her friend's, her pool party at her teacher's and an overnight party at a friends tomorrow night. She is so brokenhearted.

Should I take her to the Opthamologist or to her regular doctor? How long before she isn't contagious to others? Does she really have to miss all of this or can I take her and just be really careful that she keeps her hands clean and to herself? I am almost positive that she won't be able to swim, but can she go for a little while just to participate with her friends?

Let me know if anyone has any experience with this.

Thanks!

 

[RobinMarie]

I would take her to either. Your doctor will most likely prescribe an antibiotic in the form of eye drops. It is my understanding after 24 hours of using those eye drops properly she will not be contagious.

 

[goofy4tink]

Take her to the regular doctor. They will give you an ointment. After the first day, 24 hrs., I believe it's not contagious anymore. But could be wrong. Good luck. I can't believe someone was so inconsiderate as to send their child to school with this!! What is the matter with people??!!

 

[NMAmy]

Ok, I'm going to play devil's advocate for just a minute here. DD used to get pinkeye a lot when she was in preschool. The girl with pinkeye may have been on antibiotics when her mother told her she was not contagious. Your DD may have contracted it in the beginning stages before the girl or her mom realized she had it. It's very easy not to recognize the symptoms at the beginning particularly if your child has allergies that can make their eyes kind of red and watery in the mornings.

I'm sorry your DD got it--I've caught it from my kid and it's the pits! It got to the point that her dr told me, if you're putting the drops in her eyes you might just as well go ahead and put them in yours at the same time because if you don't have the symptoms today, you'll probably have them tomorrow!

Good luck to her--I hope she doesn't have to miss much. I seem to remember the 24 hour thing as well!

 

[autochick]

I use to get this all the time. on top of the antibiotics it helps to put a warm damp cloth on the eye. I also did this with a warm tea bag, really helped to sooth the eye. I would do this in the morning when the eyed would be stuck closed.

I hope you daughter feels better soon

 

[my3kids]

My son often looks like he has pink eye, but it is allergies. Pollen is terrible right now. The medication the doctor gives will work very quickly. Some of the drops, along with the antibiotic also have a steriod for the inflamation. If you see the doctor this morning, ask about the time frame before being around others...it might not even be 24 hours, and it might be allergies, in which cae a Benedryl might make a difference within half an hour.

 

[mtblujeans]

Pinkeye oozes and runs. It seems to me that these fluids are highly contagious. If she gets a day or more of antibiotic use in, she will begin to feel better, but I believe the fluids are contagious for awhile. It would be good, once you take her to the doctor, to post his/her medical advise to refresh our memories. She can probably go to her functions and she should not touch her face and wash, wash, wash those hands to keep from spreading.

 

[DawnCt1]

Good handwashing and washing bed linen as well is essential to prevent reinfection. Ask your doctor about treating the other eye. Often with children there is a risk of cross contamination. Kids rub their eyes.

 

[mrsv98]

FYI, DD has viral pink eye and there is nothing to do but wait it out. I have been using saline solution on cotton balls to clean her eyes and she says it makes her feel better. She finally went back to school today since the oozing has stopped but it has been a long week!

 

[bentley483]

Thanks for all your wonderful advice. Just got back from the Doctor and it looks like you were all right. He wrote a prescription for antibiotic eye drops to be used 4 times daily. No school or social contact for 24 hours after first dose of drops. She can go to her pool party tomorrow because it starts at 1:00 pm and that is 26 hours away, but she is not allowed to swim because the chlorine in the pool will make her eyes worse. She can go to the sleepover, but must be very careful not to let anyone on her pillow. (I'm going to call the friend's Mom and make sure she is OK with this.)

She is really taking this setback well! I'm so proud of how she is keeping it together. She keeps saying "Well, Mom it could be worse. At least I can still go to the pool party and to my friends house!" and she keeps thanking me for taking such good care of her, I've got a great kid!

I didn't mean to sound so mean about the little girl who had Pink Eye in DD's class. I know she didn't give it to her on purpose, I am just frustrated because my baby is suffering and I can't do anything about it.

Thanks again for all the advice!

 

[NMAmy]

bentley--I know exactly where you're coming from. Just before our WDW trip this year, one of my student employees gave me strep throat. She wouldn't stay home from work because she doesn't get sick days. I could've cheerfully beat her with a big stick. Told her I'd have paid her out of my own pocket as opposed to having her cough all over me. I ended up rushing to the dr the day before we left for antibiotics.

This stuff ALWAYS seems to happen right before something exciting. When I plan a boring weekend sitting home watching videos, I'm healthy as a horse.

Glad to hear that your daughter will get to participate in all her activities!

 

[KimRaye]

DD's school has been overrun with Pinkeye for weeks now! Resulting in a full school closure on Monday to clean and disinfect. And, in today's News & Notes, they announced that, despite the cleaning, there were more cases reported. Add this to the strep which is also going around.

And, may I suggest, DO NOT use the same dropper from child to child or child to parent as THAT is where cross contamination comes from. Also, when DD got it, I did NOT notice it that morning and, I washed her face that day but, within minutes of her being at school, they were calling me to come and get her. The Dr. prescribed the drops right away and told me to use them in both eyes, altho only one eye was infected. Within a day, day & 1/2, her other eye got it. Total time home from school was 3 days, in addition to the weekend she was home anyway. Terrible nuisance, really.

Glad your DD can enjoy some of her special activities.

 

[shopgirl72]

I am a school nurse, this goes thru schools like chickenpox, and headlice!! Definitely do not use the same tube of ointment in both eyes, you can infect ot reinfect!! Also, do not use the single tube of ointment on other family members. The eyes being stuck shut is "usually" a sure sign, along with redness, and itchy, gritty eyes! I send students home, and occasionally it has been allergies, and that parent gets rather upset with me, but I have 900 other students, and staff to think of! The old saying " I would rather be safe than sorry, " really applies here!! 24 hours after starting medication is when our health dept. says they can return!!

shopgirl