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Conjunctivitis in Children:
- Usually a self-limiting process, very common in school-aged children and children in daycare or group home settings
- Crusting/swelling treated with warm compresses
- Antibiotics are not necessary outside of the neonatal period, but they do speed recovery
- Neonates with conjunctivitis - send cultures (gonococcal ophthalmia neonatorum); all others - no cultures necessary
- Treatment with erythromycin ointment, Polytrim solution, ciprofloxacin solution (usually practicioner preference unless dealing with a recurrent/resistant case)
HOWEVER... remember to consider other common etiologies of a red eye in a child!
- Corneal abrasions
- Acute angle closure glaucoma (sickle cell patients)
- Allergic sources
References
- Nelson's Essentials of Pediatrics, 5th ed.
- The Red Book - 2006 Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases