How and with what to wash the area around the eyes of a newborn?
Washing the skin around the eyes of the newborn How to do it in order to properly care for the hygiene of the eye organ? Why do you need to remove the so-called "sleepyheads "from a toddler's eyes? What to wash the eyes of a newborn babyand what measures cannot be used for this purpose? What rules should we follow when washing the eye area of a newborn baby? What else in addition to caring for the eye area is it worth doing to ensure the proper development of the child's eyesight? If you are in doubt about caring for your little one's eyes, read some tips from an experienced midwife.
A newborn's eyes are an extremely sensitive and delicate area, and vision is one of our most important senses. Because special care should be taken from the very beginning. An important element of eye area care is washing. Below, we advise newly-minted parents and guardians on what to wash the area around the eyes of a newborn and how to do this so that it is effective and safe for the toddler.
Newborn's eyes in the first days after birth
Immediately after birth, the baby's eyes remain closed for up to several days, depending on the severity of the swelling of the eyelids. As he subsides, the eyes slowly open, not always symmetrically, but this is not cause for concern. Additionally, large amounts of mucus are released during the first days of life to keep the eyes moist. On contact with air, this secretion dries up and flakes off, forming the so-called "Sleepyheads". In addition, in some babies, the tear ducts may become blocked in the first weeks after birth. Dried discharge combined with obstructed outflow can lead to eye infections. Therefore, it is extremely important to have proper eye hygiene from the very first moments at home.
What to wash a newborn's eyes with?
It is enough to clean children's eye area clean water - preferably boiled, at least room temperature, or pleasantly warm. It will also be a good choice saline solution, available at any pharmacy.
Washing liquids, soaps and other cleansing agents should not be used for the hygiene of the eye areaeven if the manufacturer advertises them as safe for children. The substances contained in them can unnecessarily irritate the eyes, giving us cause for concern - is it irritation after washing or is it a symptom of infection? Chamomile or other herbal infusions should not be used without clear medical indications. They are not sterile products and can cause allergies or infections.
How to wash a newborn's eyes?
Here are a few rules, the observance of which will help to wash the area around the eyes of a newborn in a proper way, as well as the least troublesome for the parent and the way that is burdensome for the child.
- Before washing the child's eye area, it is imperative to wash your hands. In this way, we reduce the risk of transmission of infection.
- It is advisable not to rub the child's eyes with your fingers, a nappy or a paper nappy a clean gauze or cotton ball.
- It is best to wash the eye area when when the baby just woke up.
- In the first weeks of life, when there is a lot of discharge, you can rinse the eye area several times a day.
- For washing around the eyes We put the baby on its back.
- The area around the eyes should be rinsed from the temple to the nose.
Expert advises
If a child's eyelids are stuck together, dried secretions cannot be separated by force when dry. Before unsticking the eyelids, you need to "soak" them with a damp gauze pad, which will help soften the dried mucus and remove the residues. You will need a fresh swab for each eye rub - do not use the same thing over and over again. Hardly dried secretions should not be removed by force and strong rubbing, but rather a damp gauze pad should be applied for longer to soften it. Too much rubbing of the skin around the eyes can damage it, because the skin of a child is much thinner than that of an adult, and there is no protective layer of fat in the subcutaneous tissue.
If there is particularly much discharge around the child's eyes, the eyes become red, or the discharge is yellow or green in color, consult a doctor.to make sure your eyes are not infected. If your baby's tear ducts remain blocked, your pediatrician or midwife will advise you on how to open them.
Importance of newborn eye hygiene
Unlike your other senses, intensive development of eyesight occurs only after birth. It will only develop around 50% in the first three years of life. Keeping the eyesight clean will enable their harmonious development and prevent infections. Proper eye area care will therefore be as important as eye stimulation. Remember to provide your child with access to daylight as much as possible.
In the first weeks of life, the child can see at a short distance and the image is blurred - not by accident. It is an immature organism's way of limiting strong stimuli that the child's nervous system is not ready to process. Therefore, in the first days and weeks of life, colorful toys and a carousel above the crib will not work. The best object to stimulate the child's eyesight is the parent's face, we can also use contrasting stuffed animals or books.
Źródła:
Neonatology - practical skills in the care of a newborn. Salamończyk M, Łozińska-Czerniak A. PZWL Warsaw 2014,
Caring for a newborn baby. Bałanda A. PZWL Warsaw 2009
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