What’s Going Around: Strep, stomach bug, COVID

This week, the providers at UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in York and Spring Grove are seeing hand, foot and mouth disease, stomach viruses that are causing diarrhea, non-specific rashes, and other viral syndromes.

WellSpan Community Pediatrics reports viral upper respiratory infections and a few cases of COVID.

This week, pediatricians at Penn State Health are seeing some summer colds, stomach bugs, allergies, poison ivy, strep throat and hand, foot and mouth disease.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics reports strep throat, swimmer’s ear, an increase in pink eye and COVID. They’re also seeing summer viruses, including adenovirus, stomach bugs and some cases of Lyme Disease.

Dr. Joan Thode offered the follow advice about pink eye:

“Conjunctivitis is the general term for inflammation of the outer clear layer of the surface of the eye. It typically appears as a ‘pink eye,’ and there are multiple possible causes.

Bacterial conjunctivitis is caused by a bacteria infecting the surface of the eye. It is frequently in only one eye and typically has thicker eye discharge. It can be painful or have a scratchy sensation when blinking. In babies, bacterial pink eye can frequently affect both eyes at the same time and should be evaluated for possible tear duct blockage. Bacterial pink eye is treated with eye drops by your child’s primary physician. Until treated, it is very contagious.

Viral conjunctivitis is caused by a virus infecting the surface of the eye, and it frequently is seen in both eyes symmetrically. The discharge tends to be a bit thinner and more watery, though kids will frequently have crusting on their lashes after a period of sleep. Viral conjunctivitis is often seen in the second half of a virus and often caused by the child rubbing their nose, then rubbing their eye, thus transferring the virus to the surface of the eye. Viral conjunctivitis will be killed off by the immune system at the same time it beats the virus elsewhere in the body. Antibiotic eye drops will not do anything to speed that process, because they do not affect viruses. Unfortunately, viral conjunctivitis is also contagious by touch.

Allergic conjunctivitis is a reaction to the pollen or other allergens in the air. This causes the immune cells to release histamine, which makes the eyes red, itchy, and watery. Itchy eyes are most likely allergic conjunctivitis. There is rarely thick eye drainage, though it is common for the eyes to tear a lot. The appropriate eye drops are antihistamine eye drops, which can be prescribed by your child’s primary physician.

Reasons to see the doctor: thick drainage from the eye; pain with eye movement; eyelid swelling; pain with light/light sensitivity; symptoms that worsen over two to three days; eye redness with any recent eye trauma or suspected foreign body in the eye; changes in vision.”

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