Unfortunately, babies can get pink eye just like children and adults can, though it is usually considered more serious in younger patients. It is typically most common in newborn babies, who contract it from the mother during delivery. Find out the basic details about pink eye in infants.
Symptoms
Though it is rare, infants can be infected with pink eye, and it is usually noticed just after birth. The symptoms are typically similar to those of adults and children with this condition, as the eyes are usually red and swollen, and often cannot even open due to dried discharge. Touching the area lightly can cause the infant to cry in pain. Most hospitals these days put antibiotic ointment on the eyes of any newborn baby in case there is an infection present, as long-term damage can ensue in cases that are not caught right away. However, this kind of preventive treatment is not always helpful in protecting against pink eye with certain causes.
Causes
In some cases, pink eye in infants is caused by the same kinds of pathogens that cause pink eye in adults and children, such as staphylococcus or streptococcus. These can be treated quickly with antibiotics. However, pink eye in infants due to certain causes are not affected by most types of medicine. For example, mothers with STDs like chlamydia or gonorrhea can also cause pink eye in infants during birth, and these forms are not easily treated.
Pink eye caused by STDs acquired from the mother’s birth canal sometimes shows no symptoms at first. Instead, they may show up days or even weeks after leaving the hospital, which means that immediate treatment is not always possible. Corneal ulceration is one main kind of damage that may occur due to pink eye in infants that is not treated right away. Delays in treatment may cause long-term damage to the eyes, or at least a period of discomfort for the infant. Therefore, it is important to get tested for STDs like gonorrhea or syphilis, and let your doctors know about it before you give birth so that symptoms of pink eye in infants can be detected right away.