Many mothers have faced such a nuisance as barley in a child. Barley is not considered a dangerous disease, of course, if timely measures are taken for treatment. Subject to the rules of hygiene and proper treatment, the disease recedes quickly enough.
What does barley look like?
In the initial stage of the disease, it is not so easy to recognize barley. At first, the site of infection becomes reddish and swells a little. Then the child begins to experience a slight burning sensation and itching at the site of the formation of barley. Very often, at the same time, the temperature rises in children, a headache begins and an increase in lymph nodes is observed. A couple of days after the onset of the disease, a dense abscess is usually formed on the eyelid, which has a whitish or yellowish tint. Barley swells as it ripens, after which the pus accumulated inside comes out, breaking through the shell.
Reasons for the formation of barley
Barley is an inflammation of the sebaceous gland of the hair follicle of the eyelash or inner eyelid and is usually caused by the introduction of Staphylococcus aureus into the body. Since barley is caused by pathogenic bacteria, it is treated with bactericidal drugs such as tetracycline or erythromycin ointment. Also, for the treatment of barley, drugs such as "Albucid" or "Sofradex", which are eye drops, are often used.
The most common causes of barley formation are:
- contact with the mucous membrane of the eyelids of dust, sand or other foreign substances;
- hypothermia;
- transferred infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders;
- non-observance of hygiene rules.
Do not allow the child to rub his eyes with his hands, as if infection and irritation occurs, barley can develop into conjunctivitis.
How to cure barley folk remedies
Many people mistakenly believe that spitting on barley is the only and effective folk remedy for this disease. It's a delusion. Spitting is unlikely to get rid of the barley, but other traditional medicine recipes can be very effective.
Lotions from strong black tea without added sugar help to cope with the disease. They should be done every 2-3 hours during the day. Compresses based on a decoction of calendula have the same effect.
At the initial stage of the disease, when an abscess has not yet formed, warming up with a bag filled with warm salt can be done. You can also lubricate the sore spot with freshly squeezed aloe juice or apply a piece of plant leaf cut lengthwise.
If your child is old enough and will not rub their eyelids, then you can attach a clove of garlic to the sore spot.
If, despite all your efforts, the child's barley does not disappear and the disease does not go away for more than 4-5 days, be sure to consult a doctor. It is also worthwhile to immediately show the child to a specialist if the barley has moved to the second eyelid.
