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Medical Conditions
Sty—Child Care and Schools
What is a sty?
A mild infection of a gland in the eyelid at the base of the eyelashes. Also called hordeolum.
What are the signs or symptoms?
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Mild pain and a red bump at or near the edge of the eyelid.
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Sties may enlarge and burst and spontaneously drain.
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Sties are differ from chalazions.
Chalazions are caused by inflammation or an infection of an oil gland in the eyelid. Chalazions are not typically red or tender, do not spontaneously drain, and may persist for months.
What are the incubation and contagious periods?
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Incubation period: Unknown.
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Contagious period: Sties may drain pus that contains bacteria. This could be contagious to others, but the drainage period is usually brief.
How is it spread?
It does not spread from one person to another.
How do you control it?
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Use good hand-hygiene technique at all the times listed in Chapter 2.
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Avoid rubbing, which may spread the infection to the other eye.
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Sties will resolve most quickly by applying a warm compress (eg, with a wet paper towel wrapped around a plastic bag of warm water) for 10 minutes, 3 or 4 times daily. This usually results in spontaneous drainage.
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Occasionally, a sty may progress to a more widespread infection, called
cellulitis, indicated by surrounding redness and swelling of the lid. Any spreading redness and swelling of the eyelid requires immediate medical attention.
What are the roles of the teacher/caregiver and the family?
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Use good hand-hygiene technique at all the times listed in Chapter 2.
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Review Standard Precautions, particularly hand hygiene.
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Identify children with red or draining eye lesions. Report this to parents/guardians and recommend they seek care from their child's health professional.
Exclude from group setting?
No, unless
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The eye is actively draining. It is impractical to cover the eye for an extended period.
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The child is unable to participate and staff members determine they cannot care for the child without compromising their ability to care for the health and safety of the other children in the group.
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The child meets other exclusion criteria (see Conditions Requiring Temporary Exclusion in Chapter 4).
Readmit to group setting?
Yes, when all the following criteria have been met:
When exclusion criteria are resolved, the child is able to participate, and staff members determine they can care for the child without compromising their ability to care for the health and safety of the other children in the group
Adapted from
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