Interesting Facts 

The baby rubs his eyes with his hands. Why does a baby scratch its body (ear, eyes, head, nose). Children may also rub their eyes due to allergies.

Even parents with little experience will tell you that if a baby rubs his eyes, he just wants to sleep. This is partly true. But what if a two-month-old baby does this all the time? We recommend paying close attention to this problem and consulting with your pediatrician. It is quite possible that such behavior of the baby indicates the presence of some diseases.

Situations in which parents should not worry

So, we have already found out that a baby can rub his eyes just before going to bed. This is a completely normal occurrence and all that is required of you is to feed the baby and put him to rest.

In addition, this symptom often indicates teething. It can cause not only pain in the mouth, but also itching in the eyes or nose. That is why the baby is trying to alleviate his condition in the only way available to him.

To help him, you can use special gels that are rubbed into the gums and remove all the negative effects of teething.

We also strongly recommend closely monitoring an infant who frequently rubs his eyes with his hands. If this is the only symptom, then it is quite possible that the problem is associated with dust getting into the mucous membrane and it is enough to simply rinse your eyes to get rid of it once and for all. If this behavior is accompanied by other signs, you need to go to the doctor.

Reasons why a child rubs his eyes

The main reasons include:

  • the already mentioned above contact with the mucous membrane of any irritant - dust or eyelashes, water and soap during bathing, hair, etc. In this case, we simply wash the eyes to alleviate the child’s condition;
  • an inflammatory process that may be accompanied by severe itching. In this case, the baby rubs his eyes even in his sleep, cries and wakes up. The solution to the problem may be to consult a doctor to identify a viral or bacterial infection, as well as prescribe effective treatment;
  • an allergic reaction of the body to any irritants. To identify them, you will also have to undergo a comprehensive examination of the body;
  • poor vision. Be sure to have it checked by a specialist to rule out any eye diseases;
  • pain caused by inflammation.

Additional symptoms that indicate that you need to see a doctor as soon as possible are increased lacrimation, as well as the appearance of any discharge from the eyes. Most likely, the baby develops conjunctivitis, which can turn into a serious problem if treatment is not started in a timely manner.

In addition, the symptom may occur due to the so-called stye - an inflammatory process in the eyelid cavity. It is also better to treat it, following all the recommendations of specialists.

From the first days of life, the baby is under the constant control of his parents, since his behavioral reactions, actions and grimaces indicate his state of health, mood and development. It is not uncommon to notice that your child is rubbing his eyes.

If a child rubs his eyes, the reasons can be completely different, so young parents should not look for answers to this question on their own. It’s not at all necessary that something terrible should happen to the baby if his fists are reaching for his eyes.

Naturally, if this is an isolated case and occurs only after sleep or before it, there is absolutely no need to worry. However, if the baby repeats this action constantly, you should pay special attention to this.

Why does a child rub his eyes?

Of course, obsessive rubbing indicates that the child's eyes are causing discomfort. Let's look at the possible reasons:

The most common and at the same time common cause is the entry of a foreign body into the eye. For discomfort, an eyelash, dust or hair on the mucous membrane is enough. In this case, the object that caused the discomfort may not be in the eye - slight damage to the eyeball can already cause the child to rub his eyes.

The cause of this reaction may be an inflammatory process accompanied by itching. Bacterial or infectious contamination can trigger this type of reaction.

Pain or poor vision. A child, like an adult, can rub his eyes due to poor vision - do not forget about this.

Allergic reactions are an equally common reason for this behavior.


When you shouldn't worry

Most often, a child rubs his eyes when he wants to sleep. This is a natural reaction of a child's body to fatigue. Therefore, if such behavior is observed before the child goes to bed, you should not worry at all.

Often mothers pay attention to the fact that the baby rubs his eyes when he is teething. Most often, this is one of the first signs that a quiet life will soon come to an end. In addition, children often rub their nose.

You should definitely pay attention to whether there are other symptoms besides the fact that the child constantly rubs his eyes. If there are none, you shouldn’t worry for no reason.

Slight redness, coupled with the child’s desire to rub his eyes, may also indicate that foam or water may have gotten onto the mucous membrane during bathing. Naturally, the irritant will not be detected upon examination, but this type of injury may lead to the desire to rub the disturbing eyes.

When the situation is more serious

There is no need to sound the alarm, but it is better to show the child to a specialist if the following is observed:

    swelling of the eyelids;

    redness;

    tearing or discharge from the tear glands;

    “sticking” of the eyelids after sleep.

These facts may be an indicator of the presence of a disease or allergy. A child often rubs his eyes because something is bothering him. For example, it could be an allergy. The causative agent may be dust, pillow filling, pollen and other irritants. Only a special examination will help determine or exclude this possibility.

The entry of a foreign body into the eye cavity can also provoke a child’s desire to constantly rub the eye. It's about suppressing discomfort. First of all, you should carefully check the baby’s eyes, and preferably also rinse them with water.

When and why you should go to the hospital right away

The most striking indicator that a child should be shown to a specialist is the appearance of discharge from the eye cavity or excessive tearing. In this case, the reasons that the child rubs his eyes may be much more serious.

The likely cause is the development of conjunctivitis caused by infection with Staphylococcus aureus. We should not forget about the possibility of infection with demodicosis mites, which multiply in the eyelash pockets.

Often a child rubs his eyes due to the presence of stye - purulent inflammation in the eyelid cavity. In this case, the causes of discomfort are immediately obvious, since they are visually clearly distinguishable.

The reasons may be different, but if you see that something is really bothering your child, it is still better to show him to a doctor. This will eliminate the most unpleasant possible causes and help establish ways to get rid of the current problem. If a child rubs his eyes, this is a signal from the body in response to a certain stimulus. The parents’ task is to find out why this happens, what the baby’s body says using this signal.

A person needs sense organs not only for orientation in space, they can also warn about internal problems in the body. If a child frequently scratches or rubs his eyelids or nose, parents should be concerned. Probably, the baby is showing the first symptoms of some disease, which are very dangerous to ignore, because in the long term, an uncontrolled illness can lead to deterioration or loss of vision and difficulty breathing.

If a child's eyes and nose itch, parents should definitely determine the cause and eliminate it.

Reasons why a child may rub his eyes and nose, associated symptoms

Itching in the eyes and nose occurs for various reasons. Their nature can be judged by a number of accompanying symptoms. How can parents understand why their child is itching?

First of all, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of the baby getting injured, as well as getting a foreign object in his eye or nose. This can be done by assessing the nature of the itching. For example, if the baby’s iris only itches in his right eye, he probably just got a speck under his eyelid.

The cause of itching may be some kind of disease. To understand which one, parents should familiarize themselves with the list of diseases that cause itchy eyes or nose.

Pathological processes

Itching in the nose area in children, as a rule, indicates an incipient allergy. Less commonly, this symptom occurs in other diseases:

  • ARVI, influenza and other infections. Associated symptoms are fever, general weakness, loss of appetite.
  • Fungal infection (mycosis, candidiasis). An associated symptom is sneezing.
  • Inflammatory processes. Associated symptoms are fever, difficulty breathing.

All of the listed ailments, under certain circumstances, can cause itching in the eye area, but most often other diseases become the cause of eye problems. The most common among them are:

  • conjunctivitis;
  • demodicosis;
  • barley;
  • trachoma.

 Allergic conjunctivitis

These diseases are difficult to diagnose. An ophthalmologist should deal with this, so at the slightest suspicion of an eye infection, parents urgently need to show their child to a specialist.

Situations when parents shouldn't worry

While the child is an infant, nonverbal signals are his main way of communicating with his parents. Rubbing your eyes or nose in this case is simply a way to communicate your condition, and is by no means a sign of an impending illness.

Why do newborn babies itch? Before you worry about your child’s health, you need to make sure that the cause of his condition does not lie in one of the following factors:

  • Fatigue. If your child rubs his eyes every time it's bedtime, parents shouldn't worry. The baby simply chose this way of telling his mother that he wants to sleep. Rubbing the eyelids is a fairly common non-verbal signal among people of all ages, indicating physical fatigue and the body's need for sleep.
  • Contact with mucous membranes of water. If a child rubs his eyes and nose every time after a bath, parents should be careful when bathing the baby. Almost certainly, his violent reactions are caused by irritation from water or soap suds that have reached the mucous membranes. You can verify this by noting that after some time after bathing, the child calms down on its own.
  • Teething. If the baby is constantly itching, especially assiduously rubbing his eyes and nose, but does not show other alarming symptoms of poor health (except, perhaps, copious salivation), then, most likely, his first teeth are about to start cutting. During this process, itching in the eyelids and sinuses is completely normal.

 In infancy, rubbing the eyes or nose are common nonverbal cues in most cases.

None of the above cases require parents to take any emergency measures, much less consult a doctor. Accordingly, there is no need to worry about the baby’s health either.

The situation is even simpler with older children. As a rule, they themselves can talk about what exactly bothers them, but what to do if the child often rubs his eyes, but does not complain about any other problems, including the desire to sleep and water getting on his mucous membranes? Is it really a matter of some dangerous disease?

Most likely, the reason for the baby’s strange condition is ordinary “dry eye syndrome.” To make sure of this, parents will have to remember what their child has been doing in the last few hours. Drying of the mucous membrane of the eye is provoked by:

  • sitting for long periods in front of a computer or TV screen;
  • close reading;
  • looking closely at something in poor lighting.

 If you rub your eyes too often, it is recommended to undergo an ophthalmological examination.

It is easy to alleviate a child’s condition with dry eye syndrome. It is enough to wash it and, if necessary, apply eye drops. The syndrome itself is not a cause for concern, but if a child exhibits its symptoms too often, parents should take their child to an ophthalmologist. Perhaps the baby's vision is gradually deteriorating.

Features of treatment of children depending on the causes of the unpleasant symptom

If parents manage to figure out why the child is rubbing his eyes or nose, eliminating the problem is usually not difficult. When the cause of the reaction is an external irritant (dust trapped under the eyelid or an allergen in the immediate vicinity), it is enough to remove the harmful factor so that the baby instantly feels better.

It’s another matter when itching occurs as a result of a disease. Treatment in this case will be medicinal, and what kind of drugs (antibacterial, anti-inflammatory or anti-allergenic) to give the child will be decided by his doctor, based on the nature of the illness affecting the baby.

If for some reason parents are unable to show their child to a specialist, they can try to alleviate the baby’s condition on their own, using folk remedies.

This treatment will be symptomatic. For its effectiveness, it is important to know why exactly the child itches. When the cause of itching is a bacterial infection, you can resort to help:

  • Table salt solution. To prepare it, take 1 teaspoon of salt per glass of boiled water, then stir the liquid until smooth. The resulting solution is used for daily rinsing (including preventive). Such procedures are effective in combating itching and irritation of the skin around the eyes and nose.
  • Aloe vera juice. It is used in combination with honey (the ingredients are mixed in a 1:1 ratio). The resulting product is used for washing, after diluting it with boiled water. In addition to bactericidal, aloe has a moisturizing and anti-edematous effect.

For allergies (food or pollen), other remedies are used. They should be used immediately when the first symptoms of a reaction appear. If your baby scratches his face and sneezes, help:
(we recommend reading:)

  • gargling with infusion of valerian or motherwort (1-2 drops per glass of warm water);
  • drinking a decoction of the string (you need to steam the herb for 20 minutes);
  • taking peony root powder (3 tablespoons daily).

Should I be concerned about my baby rubbing his eyes? Most parents notice that their child regularly rubs his eyes. There is no need to think that this is a sign of an illness that needs to be fought and sow panic.

First, let's figure out why a child rubs his eyes and whether it is worth seeing a doctor about this. Sometimes children rub their eyes to show their mother that he wants to sleep.

Small children cannot yet control their movements, so at the subconscious level they begin to rub their eyes, thereby indicating that they want to sleep. You shouldn't worry too much about this. And the redness of the upper layer of the epidermis near the eyes is just a consequence of blood circulation. But it should be taken into account that if a child’s nails are long enough, this will negatively affect his skin. These are various scratches and due to constant scratching, frames may appear, which in turn will take a long time to heal and possibly become inflamed. To prevent this, you need to systematically trim your nails or buy mittens for your hands; they are also called “scratchies.” If the baby scratches his eyes before going to bed, then this is a clear way to show his mother how tired he is and wants to take a nap. There is no need to worry about this.

Children may also rub their eyes due to allergies.

Allergies are hypersensitivity to a particular substance that causes an allergic reaction in a person. Allergies are one of the reasons why a child's eyes itch. Each organism has individual intolerance to various substances. For example, allergies can be caused by: animal fur, pollen, household chemicals, poplar fluff, food, and so on. In addition, if your child rubs his eyes due to an allergy, other symptoms may also appear: sneezing, nausea, discharge from the eyes, runny nose and so on. In order for allergy symptoms to go away, it is necessary to exclude the allergen, which is the substance that provokes the development of an allergic reaction in the child. To be completely sure that allergies are the reason why your baby is rubbing his eyes, you need to consult a pediatrician and be sure to request a blood test for the child. And only then, with great accuracy, will the doctor be able to confirm whether your child has an allergy or not. If the diagnosis is confirmed, the doctor will refer you to a doctor specializing in the bottom region - an allergist.

Conjunctivitis can also cause eye irritation

It may well be that a child who periodically scratches his eyes has conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is an inflammatory polyetiological disease of the mucous membrane that covers the sclera and the inner surface of the eyelids. There are three types of this lesion: viral, bacterial, allergic.

Viral conjunctivitis - conjunctivitis caused by viruses that are inside the body (herpes, enterovirus, adenovirus) is called viral. In most cases, this type of conjunctivitis develops together with other diseases. With this type of disease there is no purulent discharge from the eyes, unlike a bacterial one. Therefore, the use of antibiotics can be harmful, causing an allergic reaction in the child.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by various bacteria (chlamydia, streptococci, staphylococci, and so on) that enter the mucous membrane of the eye. Infection can occur after contact with sick people. After which the bacteria actively multiply on the membrane of the eye, and profuse purulent tearing occurs. This conjunctivitis is treated with antibiotics in the form of cream and eye drops.

In order for the diagnosis to be reliably confirmed, you need to consult a doctor who specializes in studying the etiology and mechanisms of development of all eye diseases - an ophthalmologist (ophthalmologist). He will determine the type of disease your child has and prescribe a full course of treatment. So if you have any suspicions about this disease, you should first of all seek help from a doctor and under no circumstances self-medicate; this can only complicate the situation or even deprive you of your vision.

Irritation near the eyes and nose is also caused by teeth that erupt

Most parents note that the baby scratches around the eyes and nose before teeth erupt.

There are other signs that a few more teeth will erupt soon and here are some of them:

Increased temperature of the child;
- increased excitability;
- capriciousness;
- the baby gnaws and sharpens his teeth;
- loss of appetite;
- inflammation of the gums.

Contact with eye hygiene products

Redness and the desire to constantly rub the eyes are associated with the ingress of certain substances that cause inflammation. For example, after bathing, children often scratch their eyes; this occurs due to foam or soap that has entered the eye cavity. This is quite unpleasant and sometimes even painful, but does not cause serious damage.

Contact with a foreign object on the eye shell also irritates it

A foreign substance entering the eye cavity irritates the membrane of the eye, causing burning and discomfort. Redness, excessive tearing, swelling of soft tissues, and so on also appear. If your child has a foreign object in the eye area, first aid should be provided. Carefully examine the eye by lifting the upper eyelid and lowering the lower eyelid. Under normal circumstances, performing such manipulations is enough to remove a foreign body. If you were unable to remove the object, then under no circumstances let your child scratch his eyes, as the foreign body may end up even deeper, which can lead to serious problems. In this case, it is advisable to consult a doctor for medical help.

Finally

There are various reasons why children rub their eyes; many of them have been listed in this article. One way or another, if you have any idea that your child is scratching his eyes for some serious reason, you should go to the doctor. See an ophthalmologist or an allergist if there is a reason for this, and request a referral for a blood test.

If a child experiences itching in the eye area, he begins to reflexively rub or scratch them. Should I be worried about this? Symptoms such as rubbing and itching of the eyes are not always a cause for serious concern. However, in combination with other behavioral manifestations, these symptoms may indicate a pathology that has arisen and the need for consultation with a specialist. Of course, if your baby is tired and rubbing his eyes, most likely he just wants to sleep. If he has just woken up, God himself ordered him to wipe his eyes in order to better see his beloved mother. If during a walk a speck of dust is blown into his eyes by the wind, it’s okay. Simply rinse your eyes and your baby will forget about this trouble. But not all reasons are so harmless. Often, babies rub and scratch their eyes hard at night. Their sleep becomes restless, they sob, their fists tirelessly rub their eyes. Let's figure out why a baby's eyes may itch at night.

Why does a child under one year or older rub his eyes in his sleep: the reasons in the table

A child rubs his eyes: how to determine the cause?

Cause Additional symptoms
Teeth cutting During the teething period, most babies become very irritable, whiny, they lose appetite, and the temperature may even rise. Some people develop loose stools, many scratch their eyes, nose, and ears. And, of course, they put it in their mouths and gnaw everything they can get their hands on. If the baby has several of the above symptoms, and no fluid comes out of the eyes, you should wait for the first or subsequent tooth to appear.
Foreign body Even the smallest foreign body getting into the eye can lead to quite serious problems. Even an eyelash or a speck of dust can cause the most unpleasant sensations in the eye. In addition, when trying to get rid of a foreign body, the baby can introduce an infection into the eye. Therefore, parents should strictly monitor hand hygiene in young children. If a speck gets into the eye, first of all it is necessary to conduct an inspection and identify its location. Then, the eye can be washed with boiled water or weak tea. If the foreign body is large, it is best to immediately go to an appointment with an ophthalmologist, so as not to cause unnecessary pain to the child. The specialist will remove the foreign body quickly and painlessly.
Inflammation Inflammation of the eye is a fairly common disease in children, as it has many forms. Inflammation of the eyeball, eyelid, boil, stye, inflammation of the tear ducts, etc. Almost all of these diseases have the following symptoms: redness of the eye itself, swelling and redness of the eyelids, burning, copious discharge (possibly purulent), severe itching in the eyelid area, pain and increased sensitivity to light, lacrimation, blurred vision. Sometimes the child's temperature rises. To establish a proper diagnosis, the child must be urgently shown to an ophthalmologist. No self-medication!
Allergy Allergic eye inflammation is provoked by: medications, food allergens, house dust, animal dander, some plants, etc. Symptoms: severe itching, redness and swelling of the eyelids, purulent eye discharge. As a rule, with allergic conjunctivitis, the nasal cavity is also affected, and the patient develops a severe runny nose.

It consists of removing the cause that led to the allergic reaction and taking antihistamines prescribed by the doctor.
Tired eyes Eye fatigue occurs in older children. Symptoms of fatigue appear after watching TV for a long time, reading books in poor lighting, playing on the computer for many hours, etc. Symptoms: dry and red mucous membranes of the eyes, irritability, burning and itching in the eye area.

There is only one treatment in this case - regulated watching of TV, working at the computer, adjusted lighting and long walks in the fresh air.
Decreased visual acuity Often, while awake, children constantly rub their eyes, squint when looking at some object, and complain about a blurry image on the TV or monitor. Perhaps these are symptoms of decreased visual acuity and in this case it is impossible to do without the help of an ophthalmologist. The sooner parents pay attention to these symptoms, the greater the chance for the child to fully restore vision.
Barley Barley is an inflammation that occurs in the hair follicle. This disease is caused by a staphylococcal infection. It occurs in an acute form. Pus is released profusely from the swollen sac. The child is bothered by painful “bursting” sensations. The temperature may rise. As a rule, barley appears against the background of a cold. Treatment for stye is prescribed by an ophthalmologist.
Conjunctivitis Inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eyes, as a rule, occurs after hypothermia against the background of a viral or bacterial infection, or with current allergies.

Symptoms: itching, burning, redness of the eyelids and eyes, swelling, possible photophobia. After sleep, the baby's eyelids stick together and he complains of pain in his eyes. Yellow purulent crusts appear on the eyelashes.

The child sleeps poorly and loses his appetite. Today in pharmacies there are a lot of drugs against conjunctivitis, but we do not recommend self-medication. Only an ophthalmologist can choose individual treatment for your child.
Nervous Itching and burning of certain parts of the body (including the eyes) quite often indicate the presence of depression and other problems associated with the child’s psyche. If your baby sleeps poorly, constantly rubs his eyes at night, and during the day behaves either too aggressively or excessively apathetic, he urgently needs to be seen by a neurologist. In the first stages, nervous disorders in children are quite easy to treat.

A child scratches his eyes during sleep and while feeding: expert opinions

Any small child rubs his eyes vigorously out of fatigue or overwork. But what if he scratches them while eating and even while sleeping. Experts name several reasons for this behavior.

  • Most often, a child begins to scratch his eyes when feeding and during sleep, if he has an aggravated allergy . As a rule, allergic itching appears during the flowering of certain plants, in the case of poor nutrition of the mother during breastfeeding, or in the presence of animals in the house.
  • Often itching bothers children during the period teething . But we already wrote about this a little higher.
  • The third, most serious cause of such itching can be. In this case, the child must be shown to an ophthalmologist. The doctor will prescribe a therapeutic massage, eye drops, and, if necessary, probing of the tubules.

Ophthalmologist N.I. Ivanova: If a child scratches his eyes, then we are most likely talking about an inflammatory eye disease: conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyeball), blepharitis (when the eyelids are affected), keratitis, etc. Each of these diseases requires its own separate treatment, and it is also necessary to take into account the reason that led to the child scratching his eyes. This could be an allergic or viral process (tetracycline ointment will not help here), a bacterial infection or a foreign body. Therefore, in order to avoid the development of possible complications, it is recommended not to self-medicate, but to consult a pediatric ophthalmologist for examination.

A child rubs his eyes, cries, cannot stop - how to help?

Effective eye washes

  1. First of all, the child needs rinse your eyes with boiled water or tea infusion . This infusion is prepared simply: one gram of tea leaves should be placed in a glass of boiling water. Use regular tea – black. Cover the glass with a saucer and let it brew for about 30 minutes. Then, the ready-made solution needs to be strained.
  2. Perfect for relieving inflammation and itching decoction of medicinal chamomile . 1 tsp Chamomile should be poured into 200 ml of cold water and boiled over low heat for about ten minutes. It is better to purchase chamomile collection at a pharmacy. Cool the broth and strain. The eye wash procedure itself is simple. To carry it out, you need to prepare a napkin and a sterile pipette. The child needs to be placed on his back, a decoction or infusion should be taken into a pipette, and a couple of drops should be carefully dropped into the inner corner of the eye. Then turn the baby's head so that the liquid flows to the outer corner. When the liquid has flowed out, the eye can be lightly blotted with a sterile cloth. After which, exactly the same procedure must be done with the second eye.

Of course, if the baby has developed conjunctivitis- no amount of washing will help. If conjunctivitis is viral or bacterial, the doctor will prescribe the necessary medications belonging to the group of antibiotics. If the itching is allergic in nature, then antihistamines are used.

In case in a foreign body has entered the baby's eye (for example, a speck) you can try to carefully remove it yourself. As a rule, a corner of a clean handkerchief is used for this. You need to act as carefully as possible so as not to cause even greater injury.

In ophthalmological practice for bacterial infections Albucid children's eye drops are widely used. These drops stop the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms. In maternity hospitals, Albucid is instilled into all children immediately after birth. However, despite this, parents should definitely consult an eye doctor before using these antibacterial eye drops.

Children's eyes are defenseless, they look at us with hope and love. Any pathology not noticed by parents in a timely manner can lead to the most serious complications. Take care of your children's eyes!