Breast milk in newborn eye

Efficacy and safety of breast milk eye drops in infants with eye discharge

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Randomized Controlled Trial

. 2021 Apr;110(4):1322-1329.

doi: 10.1111/apa.15628. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Tetsu Sugimura¹, Tomoko Seo², Nami Terasaki¹, Yukiko Ozaki³, Noriko Rikitake¹, Rumiko Okabe³, Masami Matsushita³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics and Allergology, Sugimura Children's Medical Clinic, Chikugo City, Japan.
² Department of Pediatrics, Green Woods Children's Clinic, Okazaki City, Japan.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume City, Japan.

PMID: 33098117
DOI: 10.1111/apa.15628

Randomized Controlled Trial

Tetsu Sugimura et al. Acta Paediatr. 2021 Apr.

. 2021 Apr;110(4):1322-1329.

doi: 10.1111/apa.15628. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Authors

Tetsu Sugimura¹, Tomoko Seo², Nami Terasaki¹, Yukiko Ozaki³, Noriko Rikitake¹, Rumiko Okabe³, Masami Matsushita³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics and Allergology, Sugimura Children's Medical Clinic, Chikugo City, Japan.
² Department of Pediatrics, Green Woods Children's Clinic, Okazaki City, Japan.
³ Department of Pediatrics, Kurume University School of Medicine, Kurume City, Japan.

PMID: 33098117
DOI: 10.1111/apa.15628

Abstract

Aim: Breast milk (BM) contains various protective components, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, lysozyme, oligosaccharides and immune cell subsets. We evaluated the effectiveness of BM eye drops in infants with eye discharge in a randomised controlled study.

Methods: Subjects were breastfed infants aged ≤180 days, with eye discharge. We randomly assigned patients to receive eye drops of BM or sodium azulene sulphonate hydrate 0.02% ophthalmic solution (OS). The patients received drop of BM or OS for 7 days. Improvement score of eye discharge in the groups was compared using a non-inferiority test.

Results: The number of patients improved eye discharge was 119/155 (76.8%) and 119/157 (75.8%) in BM and OS groups, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups. The improvement score in eye discharge was 1.76 ± 0.91 in the BM group and 1.71 ± 0.96 in the OS group. The BM group was considered non-inferior to the OS group.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that BM is no less effective than OS in infants with eye discharge aged ≤6 months. The results suggested that the use of breast milk as eye drops could be considered as a first-line treatment for infants aged ≤6 months with eye discharge.

Keywords: breast milk; eye discharge; eye drops; infant; non-inferiority test.

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What Are Blocked Tear Ducts Chicago IL

Breast milk with conjunctivitis - Encyclopedia Ochkov.net

Inflammation of the conjunctiva occurs in infants even with careful care. Conjunctivitis occurs due to infection of the eyes with bacteria or viruses against the background of a lack of tear fluid, which appears in the right amount only by two months of the baby's life. Is it possible to treat such conjunctivitis by washing the baby's eyes with breast milk?

Neonatal conjunctivitis: possible causes

The eyes of newborn babies are extremely sensitive to external influences: wind, dust, bacteria and infections, because they are practically not washed by tear fluid. Tears can appear as early as the first week of a baby's life, and by two or three months, which explains why many newborns cry without tears. Normally, the lacrimal fluid in both children and adults washes away microscopic specks and dust particles from the surface of the eye. It is a reliable barrier against bacteria, as it contains lysozyme, which effectively destroys bacteria and viruses. If a child's eyes remain dry for a long time when crying, you should consult a doctor - you may need massages to help remove the film from the lacrimal canal.

How does conjunctivitis manifest itself:

sensitivity to light, swollen eyelids, discharge of clear fluid;
eyelids stuck together, accumulation of pus in the corners of the eyes;
inflammation, swelling of the conjunctiva, redness of the eyes.

In that period, while the production of tear fluid is not established, the risks of developing conjunctivitis are high. The cause of inflammation of the mucous membrane, abundant purulent discharge, can be both bacteria and viruses. The allergic nature of conjunctivitis should not be ruled out, since an allergy in a child can occur on pollen, house dust, animal hair, and also on breast milk (lactase deficiency, violation of the diet by the mother, etc.). Determine the cause of conjunctivitis should be a specialist who will prescribe treatment, taking into account the causative agent of the disease.

Self-medication is not worth it, since in children the disease progresses rapidly and quickly leads to complications without adequate therapy.

Can breast milk cure conjunctivitis?

The benefits of mother's milk are enormous, everyone knows this. It is perfectly balanced in composition, contains enzymes, thanks to which it is well absorbed by the child's digestive system. Traditional medicine recipes often contain advice that recommends instilling breast milk into the nose, ears, and eyes of a newborn. Is breast milk treatment effective? Is milk healing, or was it just used before, since there were no effective drugs? Such questions arise for every mother who is advised to use breast milk for the treatment of her baby's eye, and it is very important to be prudent here.

Mother's milk is ideal food for an infant, but not a medicine. Its effectiveness with a bacterial or viral infection will be zero, in addition, fatty milk can clog the tear ducts. Only for a while, breast milk can moisturize the mucous membrane and alleviate the condition of the baby, who, for sure, suffers from itching and burning in the eyes. Remember that trying to cure conjunctivitis by only washing your baby's eyes with breast milk, without going to the doctor, you can waste time and aggravate the situation.

In children's conjunctivitis, treatment should be monitored by a doctor, since the disease is acute, and the symptoms intensify: severe swelling, redness appear, the amount of purulent discharge increases, and most importantly, it will no longer be possible to quickly cope with such complications. In addition, young mothers may not understand that the child does not have conjunctivitis, but dacryocystitis, a dangerous pathology that requires immediate medical attention.

Dacryocystitis and conjunctivitis - what's the difference?

With conjunctivitis, the mucous membrane of the eye becomes inflamed, and with dacryocystitis, the work of the lacrimal canal is disrupted. As a result of its obstruction, an inflammatory process develops, which is characterized by the appearance of edema of the lower eyelid, redness of the skin at the site of inflammation. With conjunctivitis, both eyes are most often affected, and with dacryocystitis one. The disease can be congenital (narrow nasolacrimal canal, anomalies of the nasal septum) and acquired, resulting from impaired patency of the nasolacrimal canal.

The doctor can determine the patency of the nasolacrimal canal when examining the baby. To do this, use the West test, instilling a safe dye into the eyes and checking the color of a twisted piece of cotton wool, which is previously injected into the child's nose. Dacryocystitis is treated with antibacterial drops, physiotherapy methods. In some cases, surgery is indicated.

Treatment of conjunctivitis in infants

Timely treatment of bacterial or viral conjunctivitis in newborns contributes to a quick recovery. It is enough to follow the recommendations of a specialist for several days so that the inflammatory process stops and the baby's eyes become healthy again. It is worth emphasizing that any treatment plan must be strictly agreed with the doctor.

Treatment of conjunctivitis in children:

Careful hygiene of the mother's hands before treating the eyes of the baby. The child's eyes should be cleaned of purulent discharge by soaking cotton wool in a solution of furacilin (use a slightly warm solution to make it easier to remove the discharge from the eyelids).
Drops "Albucid" - this antimicrobial drug is prescribed to newborns with conjunctivitis, which was caused by microorganisms such as staphylococci, streptococci, gonococci.
Chloromycetin eye drops (commonly used in young children due to low toxicity) - this treatment of conjunctivitis is recommended if the disease is confirmed to be bacterial, as this antibiotic is effective against various microbes and some viral strains.
Massage of the bridge of the nose at the inner corner of the eyes should be done with light stroking movements for a minute two or three times a day - this will help restore the lacrimal duct and avoid complications.

Treatment of conjunctivitis using alternative recipes is undesirable, because it is not known how the child's body will react to herbal decoctions or other remedies. To reduce the risk of developing an allergic reaction, use medications prescribed by your doctor to treat conjunctivitis.

Prevention of conjunctivitis in infants

The main preventive measure to help prevent the development of conjunctivitis in young children is careful hand hygiene of adults in contact with the child. You can reduce the likelihood of inflammation of the eyelids and mucous membranes by regularly ventilating the room and doing wet cleaning of the baby’s room. Dust in the air can settle on the mucosa, and due to the fact that the lacrimal fluid in a newborn is not enough to wash it off and remove it, it can become a source of irritation. Long walks in the fresh air are also useful - a sufficient amount of oxygen has a beneficial effect on strengthening the child's immunity, and his body will be less vulnerable to various kinds of viral and bacterial infections.

How to prevent the development of conjunctivitis, what to do?

keep the house clean, organize everything so that the house has a favorable microclimate;
use air humidifiers in the winter season that maintain the optimal level of humidity in the room - dry, overheated air negatively affects the condition of the mucous membranes of babies, and humidifiers can effectively eliminate this problem;
air purifiers - such devices often have several options, they can clean the air of dust and humidify it;
remove all unnecessary items from the children's room so that they do not accumulate dust: souvenirs, vases, soft toys, cosmetics, etc.

With insufficient treatment, the acute form of the disease is transformed into a chronic one, the cornea may become inflamed, turbidity may appear (with a viral disease). You should not rely on the effectiveness of breast milk for bacterial or viral conjunctivitis, because such treatment can not only delay recovery, but also cause complications.

20 myths about a child under 1 year old

Even today, many parents still continue to believe in myths about newborns and infants. We have collected 20 common myths for you and told you why this is not so.

Baby can be washed with any soap

If you wash your baby with soap for adults, his skin will turn red, inflamed and itchy. This is because soap has an alkaline reaction that dries out the skin and removes its natural defenses.

There are special mild detergents and foams for newborns. Such products have a neutral or slightly acidic pH, they contain emollients and protective substances.

After bathing the baby can be rubbed with a towel

Baby's skin is very sensitive and vulnerable, so it should be gently blotted, not rubbed. The towel should be soft, clean and dry.

Baby should be bathed once a week

It is best to bathe the baby with detergents at least 1-2 times a week, and on other days you can bathe in ordinary warm water.

Modern technologies make artificial nutrition much better than breast milk

This is a myth, and here's why:

Breast milk contains substances that are necessary for the normal growth of the child - hormones, growth factors, proteins, amino acids, nucleotides, etc.

Breast milk increases the protection of the child's body, because it contains cells and proteins of immunity, as well as immune complexes.

This list is endless. To date, there is no such artificial mixture that could equally replace women's milk.

If the mother is on medication, she should not breastfeed

Not always, it depends on which medication the breastfeeding mother is taking. There is a list of drugs that you should not breastfeed when taking - some cytostatics (substances that stop cell growth), lithium preparations, some antibiotics, etc.

But such drugs are prescribed by a doctor, which means that he will also tell you whether it is possible to breastfeed, or it is better to stop.

Breast milk is so healthy that absolutely any child can be fed with it. These are enzymopathies - diseases when some enzymes are not produced or do not work well. For example, galactosemia is a disease in which milk sugar, galactose, is not digested.

All artificial formulas are the same, you can use any

This is not true. Mixes are different.

Starter or starter formulas are fed from 0 to 6 months. In such mixtures, there is almost as much protein as in breast milk. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and other components.

Subsequent mixtures. They are fed from 6 to 12 months. In such mixtures, there is more protein and iron, because by 4-5 months the intrauterine iron stores run out, and the child can only get it from food.

There are formulas from 0 to 12 months that can be fed to the baby during the first year of his life. But they are rarely used.

There are also formulas for children with various diseases, for example, formula for children who are allergic to cow's milk protein.

Complementary foods should be started exactly at 6 months, not earlier than

In medicine, there is a concept of "window of tolerance" - the time at which complementary foods should be introduced. The critical window is 4-6 months.

The earliest age at which it is best to give complementary foods is 5 months. As a rule, by this time the baby already knows how to swallow, his immunity is formed and his gastrointestinal tract is ripe for food.

If complementary foods are started after 6 months, the baby will be deficient in micronutrients. This means that you will need to quickly give a large amount of these nutrients, which can hit a weak immune system and cause allergies.

But it's best when the doctor sets the timing of the introduction of complementary foods, because each child's digestive system develops differently.

If the baby does not react well to a new product, do not stop giving it

If the baby reacts abnormally to a new product - rash, allergy, diarrhea, vomiting, then this means that the body is not yet ready for this food. Remove this product and try giving it later in life.

Give a new product in the morning to see how the child reacts to it. But in no case should you continue to give the product if the baby feels bad from it!

When a child is sick, he needs to put breast milk in his eyes and nose

You can't do that! Breast milk is an environment in which bacteria will grow and multiply. If you drip breast milk into your eyes and nose, you will make the inflammation worse.

My child does not need to be vaccinated because we follow all hygiene rules

Why even in such a situation you need to get a vaccine, and also about how vaccines, mercury and autism are connected, we wrote on Instagram

To get enough vitamin D, you just need to walk more under the sun

Yes several reasons why this is not so:

It is impossible to calculate exactly how much vitamin D a child will produce under the sun. Here you need to take into account the amount of ultraviolet light, time of day, geography, the angle of incidence of the beam and other things.

Clothing prevents UV rays from reaching the skin. Agree, few people walk down the street with a naked child, no matter how hot the summer is.

As we have already said, newborn children have very delicate and vulnerable skin, it does not have special cells - melanocytes, which protect against UV light. Therefore, do not push the child under the sun. Babies should be in the shade.

Vitamin D should be given to children externally, in the form of preparations. Read our Instagram post about vitamin doses for each age.

If a child has a fever, they should be wiped with alcohol

WHO strictly forbids rubbing children with any alcohol solutions! Yes, alcohol will lower the temperature for a while, but not the temperature of the whole body, but only the temperature of the skin.

Immediately after this, the skin vessels constrict, because of this, the body gives off less heat, which means that all internal organs heat up even more. In addition, alcohol enters the bloodstream and poisons the baby.

Rub your baby with water only!

If a child has a fever, it must be brought down urgently with antipyretics

When the temperature rises, it means that the body is fighting against harmful bacteria or a virus and is becoming stronger. Doctors do not advise bringing down the temperature to 38-38.5 degrees.

A small child does not need to cut his nails

A small child still has delicate skin, but his nails grow very quickly, so if they are not cut in time, the child will scratch his face. Doctors recommend cutting your child's nails 1-2 times a week. It is convenient to do this when he is sleeping and his arms are relaxed.

Use children's scissors and a soft file for this.

Diapers are harmful, they cause irritation and even infertility

If a child has redness due to diapers, then in most cases the problem is in the parents. Yes, yes, because it is the parents who change diapers. If the diaper is rarely changed, saving money, then of course “there” everything will turn red and stagnate.

But if you use good, high-quality diapers and change them in time, it will benefit both the baby and the mother!

It's okay if a child cries - he will have strong lungs

At this age, children do not yet know how to talk, but they know how to scream and cry. The crying of a child is a signal to which you need to respond correctly. He cries because he does not see his mother, he is hungry or something hurts him, so you cannot ignore the crying and screaming of your baby.

And in order to strengthen the lungs, they do breathing exercises at an older age.

A healthy baby should be well-fed

A child's build does not always reflect the state of health, and excessive fatness can be the initial stage of obesity. For the baby to be healthy, he must eat as many times as he asks. Under no circumstances should you force-feed your baby.

Baby bottles and teats should be sterilized before each feeding.

Bottles and teats should only be sterilized after you have brought them from the store. Then it is enough to wash them with detergent. Because the child is already in contact with millions of bacteria in his crib, on the floor and clothes. There is nothing dangerous in this if you follow simple rules of hygiene and be careful.
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