Blinking Pink and Seeing Red

The moment my 3-year-old woke up today, I knew we were in for a long morning. His eye was red and gunky, and he was rubbing it vigorously. Pink eye strikes again, for the second time in a week. It seemed like it was awfully soon for a relapse to me -- like maybe the previous drops hadn't worked. Like maybe it was time to call out the big guns.

Two hours later, in the examining room at The Children's Clinic in Ladue, I discovered that the big guns were not going to be called. Instead, our health care provider placed the blame on a failure of the front-line defenses -- namely, hand-washing. She explained that it's not surprising a child who's in preschool four days a week would have recurring conjunctivitis (aka pink eye), even as often as once or twice a month, and that based on his symptoms, she thought a bacterial infection was likely given his symptoms. There are other causes too, like viruses, allergies or plugged tear ducts, and they all have different symptoms, which is why pediatricians generally want to see children with red, itchy or swollen eyes rather than diagnosing them over the phone. Pink eye is extremely contagious, especially among kids because they rub their eyes and touch each other's toys.  At this point in our conversation, she turned her full attention to the 3-year-old and said, "Keep your hands away from your face, OK?" He agreed readily, no doubt thinking of the purple dinosaur he was going to score for being a model patient.

His preschool class has been studying germs this winter -- some of it through first-hand experience, unfortunately -- but amid all the lessons on hand-washing and coughing into your elbow and tissue use, I don't remember hearing anything about not touching your face. That's one lesson my 3-year-old will be hearing over and over and over from now on.

Share This Story

Amy De La Hunt is a journalist and editor who lives in the St. Louis metro area and works across the country as a writer, copy editor, project manager and editorial consultant on everything from fiction books to monthly magazines to blog posts. When she's not chauffeuring her teenage sons to activities, Amy is an enthusiastic amateur cook, landscaper, Latin dancer and traveler. Follow Amy on Instagram @amy_in_words

Our Daily Things to Do email is the easiest way to plan your day.
Follow Us
   
Want daily ideas of things to do? How about special offers & giveaways? Sign up and we’ll handle the rest.
Things to Do

Omnimax Movies at the Saint Louis Science Center
Sunday, March 26, 2023

Catch a movie or two at the Saint Louis Science Center's OMNIMAX Theater, where films are shown featuring the IMAX with Laser. This state-of-the-art theater provides the sharpest images, unmatched sound quality and 40% greater color range than traditional theaters. The five-story, 80-foot-diameter dome will fill your entire field of vision providing a truly immersive experience. 

View this event »
Spring Training Sea Lion Shows at the Saint Louis Zoo

See the amazing sea lions at the Saint Louis Zoo perform for the crowd and cheer them on from the bleachers as the popular Sea Lion Spring Training Shows return. You'll see these beautiful animals perform flipper walks, ball balancing, Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, lots of splashing and even more surprises! 

View this event »
You Might Also Like...

From Our Sponsors
Popular Stories

Life Lessons Learned at Overnight Camp

With the perfect blend of adventure and responsibility, camp life teaches kids valuable lessons they can use for the rest of their lives. If you send your child to overnight camp, here are some life lessons they are likely to learn.

Continue reading »
Win a FREE WEEK of Summer Camp at Olympia Gymnastics

Your child can attend one week of gymnastics or Ninja summer camp at St. Louis' premiere Gymnastics and Ninja Summer Camp center! Enter today to win a free week of camp at any of Olympia Gymnastics' seven locations.

Continue reading »
Spring Break Camps Offer a Variety of Activities for Kids and Teens in St. Louis

Excitement is building for summer and the wide variety of summer camp experiences available for kids in the St. Louis metro area. But first! Spring break is around the corner, and there are plenty of Spring Break camps now enrolling. 

Continue reading »
10 Reasons Your Teen Might Love to be a Camp Counselor

Day or sleepaway summer camp is the perfect place for teens to transition to the world of the employed. The paycheck is nice, but being a summer camp counselor has other rewards, too.

Continue reading »
Drawn In: The New Animated, Literacy-Boosting Series that's Made in STL

Tyler, Nevaeh, Jadyn, and Grace – the fearless foursome of the new animated series “Drawn In” – have captured the imagination of viewers in St. Louis and ignited their love of learning with every new adventure. The show was conceived, created, and produced in St. Louis, and the majority of voice talent is based in the metro area. You can catch it on Nine PBS.

Continue reading »
Follow Us