Dr Olson Huff and his team of experts provide you with up to date information about your child’s health. In our health section you can find tips on common childhood ailments such as diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Find out how to prepare your child for visits to the doctor or dentist and hints on how to care for your sick child or baby.
Stye or Hordeolum
Styes are inflamed bumps on the eyelid that go by the fancy medical name of Hordeolum.
What is it?
These inflamed bumps on eyelids are not uncommon in children and are irritating as well as somewhat frightening because of where they are located. However, with some simple remedies and a bit of tincture of time, they will, for the most part, disappear without any consequence to vision or health.
What causes it?
A stye is caused by bacteria from the skin that gets into the oil glands in the eyelids that provide lubrication to the tear film. Styes are similar to common acne pimples that occur elsewhere on the skin. You may have more than one stye at the same time.Possible Symptoms
- Painful, red, swollen bump.
- Teary or watery eye.
- Your child may complain that something is in their eye.
What can I do?
Styes often get better using the simple treatment below.- Styes can be treated by applying warm compresses. Apply for 10 minutes. Do this four times a day.
- Do NOT attempt to squeeze a stye or any other type of eyelid bump. Let it drain on its own.
- If styes are persistent or if they keep coming back your doctor may prescribe antibiotic cream.
Call the Doctor if…
- Your child is having trouble seeing
- The stye worsens or does not improve within a week or two of self-care.
- The stye becomes very large or painful.
- There is a blister on the eyelid.
- You observe crusting or scaling of the eyelids.
- The whole eyelid is red, or the eye itself is red.
- Your child becomes very sensitive to light or has excessive tears.
- A stye comes back soon after successful treatment of another one.
- The stye bleeds.
By Dr. Olson Huff, FAAP
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