hmmm?

Specialties School

Published

Allergies or Pink Eye,

How do you make the determination and when to send home.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

generally...colored drainage, matting of eyelashes, or if that little globule of gunch collects on the inner canthus

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Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.

I am unwilling to risk "diagnosing" and being wrong, so in the absence of Old Dude's previously mentioned purulent discharge and in the presence of known allergies...if the eye calms down with the application of a cool compress, it may be allergy eyes. If not, I call home.

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If there is no mattering, drainage or woke up with clear eyes they can stay. If they have red eye/eyes and just came in from recess, PE, flush eyes and stay. If they woke up with eyes stuck shut, have crusting or icky (do you like that medical term?) drainage they get the golden ticket home.

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Specializes in NCSN.
If there is no mattering, drainage or woke up with clear eyes they can stay. If they have red eye/eyes and just came in from recess, PE, flush eyes and stay. If they woke up with eyes stuck shut, have crusting or icky (do you like that medical term?) drainage they get the golden ticket home.

This is what I do too. :)

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Pink eye often starts unilaterally and allergies most often affect both eyes equally.

Hallmarks of pink eye: thick drainage or dried drainage.

If there is no drainage, I ask if there was drainage this morning or eyes crusty when they woke up. If yes, call home. If no, I have them wash hands and face in bathroom (can remove any pollen/dust/allergens that may be causing irritation) and tell them to come back if drainage starts. And then I often call the teacher to tell them exactly what I looked for and why I sent them back to class and to ONLY send back if drainage develops. Sometimes I call home just to give a heads up to parents to be on the lookout for the ickies.

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Specializes in School nursing.

Time for my conjunctivitis charts reference! But seriously, these help A LOT. I have them hanging next to my desk.

http://m2.wyanokecdn.com/4619d7ddc28319006cac13e3b2596ea4.jpg

http://media.clinicaladvisor.com/images/2011/08/05/cme0811_cbtable1_185771.gif

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Time for my conjunctivitis charts reference! But seriously, these help A LOT. I have them hanging next to my desk.

http://m2.wyanokecdn.com/4619d7ddc28319006cac13e3b2596ea4.jpg

http://media.clinicaladvisor.com/images/2011/08/05/cme0811_cbtable1_185771.gif

I knew those charts would be coming soon!

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Specializes in school nursing, ortho, trauma.

i love your charts.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

My standing orders have Visine drops in them. I always call because the kiddos aren't reliable with information and I want to check if they get daily drops at home that would contraindicate, but I let parents know I'll give them a try (pending its questionable but compresses aren't clearing up completely). Visine will clear up allergies in minutes, pink eye will still look gross.

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I will send home with the above mentioned symptoms, but always tell them if they get it checked and it is NOT pink eye they are welcome right back to school, just need a note from doctor

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