children s health issues
Conjunctivitis in Newborns
Symptoms of Conjunctivitis in Newborns
Symptoms of conjunctivitis may vary depending on the cause of the infection. Conjunctivitis caused by chlamydiausually begins 5 to 14 days after delivery but sometimes as late as 6 weeks after. Newborns have swollen eyelids and a watery discharge from the eyes that contains increasing amounts of pus. The infection can sometimes be severe. Conjunctivitis caused by gonorrheausually begins 2 to 5 days after delivery. Newborns have severe inflammation of the eyelids and discharge of pus from the eyes. Without treatment, blindness may occur. Conjunctivitis caused by chemicals,such as eye drops, usually begins within 6 to 8 hours after the drops are put in and goes away by itself within 2 to 4 days. Conjunctivitis caused by other bacteriabegins from 4 days up to several weeks after delivery. 