2 year old frantically rubbing eyes and screaming

[momster]

Hi everyone,

My 2 year old son woke up in the car seat screaming after sleeping for about 10 minutes. He was frantically rubbing and scratching at his eyes. This continued for about 1/2 hour and he was really upset and crying. I finally convinced him to stop rubbing and put on his sunglasses. It happened about 6 more times during the afternoon and evening and each time seemed sudden. Convincing him to put on sunglasses seemed to help. His eyes are also puffy and whites are slightly pink (but not like with pink eye).

I'm thinking this is pollen allergy, but my husband thinks the episodes are too sudden and brief for this. He thinks it would be constant.

Any input and any natural remedies to try?

[Caden's Mom]

I would try, if he'll let you, to gently flush his eyes out with water. My thought is that he somehow got something on his hands, rubbed his eyes, irritiated his eyes, then rubbed even more. Oh, and make sure he washes his hands well, if he isn't already.

[greencat]

Cold (almost icy) towels over the eyes helps me. Rince his eyes, including the inside of the eye lids with saline, if he lets you. But, he needs to improve his immune system. I would start with good probiotics.

[momster]

thank you

DS woke up fine this morning. No rubbing or complaining about eyes. It rained in the night, so that would have washed a lot of the pollen out of the air.

He had washed his eyes before getting in the car where the first eye-rubbing incident happended, so I really didn't think it was something on his hands. I always make sure to rinse his hands really well too and we use totally natural olive-oil based soap, so I don't think it's that.

We have a very low allergen diet already and he does take probiotics. My family is plagued by food and environmental allergens and I've been really helped by staying on a low-allergen whole foods diet and taking probiotics. I'm open to suggestions of specific probiotics if you have them.

I am worried this will happen again as the pollen builds up.

Thanks.

[lastrid]

I have really bad allergy eyes and have used the Similisan allergy eye drops successfully. It's homeopathic, although I am not sure if it is suitable for children.

[wendy1221]

I have pollen allergies, and it definitely is worse some times of day than others.

[MidnightCafe]

I think it could totally be allergies. I'm just experiencing my first real season of allergies, and I completely feel like scratching my eyes out sometimes. And, yes, it's very sudden sometimes. I think a new piece of dust or pollen or whatever gets into the eye and it hurts or itches like crazy. Then the eye waters and sort of gets rid of it after a while and then it starts all over again the next time.