Sometimes, determining the cause of your baby’s discomfort may prove to be a Herculean task. However, it is hard to miss anything wrong with your baby’s eye. In fact, for most parents, their baby’s face is a sight to always relish. That is why it becomes worrisome to find something out of the normal on it. This could be a bump, discharge, sticky eye, or even redness of the eye.
In this article, we’d walk you through the stye, a common cause of eye discomfort in babies. You’d find all you need to know about styes on babies’ eyes and the next steps to take.
Don’t Stop Reading!
What is a stye?
A stye is a bump you find on the eyelid.
The bump can be painful and cause considerable discomfort to your baby. They are mostly reddish. A stye is commonly found on the lower eyelid but can also be anywhere along the eyelid of your baby. This means it could be located on the upper eyelid, inside the eyelid, outside of the eyelids, or near the edge of the eyelid where the eyelashes are.
What causes a stye?
The eye is a delicate structure in the human body.
Several protective measures are in place to prevent any damage to it. The eyelashes help to keep airborne dirt, dust, lint, or other debris from entering the eye. The eyelid also contains numerous glands that produce fluids to keep the eye well lubricated. Some of these glands are oil glands.
A stye forms on your baby’s eye when there is a bacterial infection of the oil glands at the root of your baby’s eyelash, or in the eyelid. This infection is usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. When this happens, the infected place becomes clogged with secretions, dead bacteria, and pus cells. This becomes an obvious bump on your baby’s eyelid.
This bump could be found in single or multiple locations along the eyelid. Due to the inflammation, the area may also become quite red.
Symptoms of a stye
When your baby has a stye, you may notice one or all of the following:
- A small bump along the eyelid: This is seen as a small elevated area on your baby’s eyelid
- Swelling on the eyelid: The area around the bump may become swollen.
- Redness of the eyelid: The affected eyelid may become red.
- Rubbing of the eye: The bump on your baby’s face may irritate him a lot. As a result, he/she may choose to rub the face frequently.
- Regular crying: Babies show their discomfort through crying. Your baby may cry more frequently than he/she used to before the stye appeared.
- Tearing of the eye: This could be from the excessive eye rubbing . It can also be a protective mechanism for the eye to prevent the contamination of other parts.
Steps To Take
Unlike some other eye conditions, a stye is a self-limiting condition.
It resolves on its own after some days to a week. The bump on the eyelid softens and the clogged materials eventually drain out.
Nevertheless, you can hasten the process and relieve your baby’s discomfort by doing the following:
- Applying A Warm Compress: Apply a gentle warm compress over your baby’s eyelid. This helps to bring down the swelling and soften the contents of the stye. Soak a clean washcloth in lukewarm water and squeeze out the excess water. Place the washcloth gently on the bump for a few minutes. Do not squeeze it. You can repeat this as many times a day as convenient for your baby.
- Ensure to always wash your hand before you or anyone else touches your baby, especially your baby’s face.
Things to Avoid When Your Baby Has a Stye
It is of no benefit to trying to pierce the stye to drain the pus from your baby’s face. Instead, you can end up spreading the infection to another part of your baby’s eye.
All you have to do is care for your little one and wait it out. However, you can contact your doctor if:
- The stye refuses to drain on its own.
- The bump is large and the eyelid becomes very swollen.
- Your baby looks very sick.
Your doctor will examine your baby and determine what is best for him/her. Sometimes, this may include a simple procedure to drain the stye.
A stye on your baby’s eye can cause a bit of discomfort for you and your baby. However, it doesn’t necessarily warrant a visit to your doctor or the use of over-the-counter ointment. Allow the stye to drain on its own and do not try to burst it by yourself.
Make your baby comfortable and don’t forget to keep your hands clean.
You’ve got this!