Incubation Time of Pinkeye in Children

Conjunctivitis, more commonly called pinkeye, is a common childhood illness. According to Dr. Jack Maypole, M.D., one in nine children younger than 15 and one in five children younger than 4 get pinkeye each year. While certain types of pinkeye are highly contagious, it is rarely a serious condition.

Types of Conjunctivitis

• Bacterial conjunctivitis is the most common cause of pinkeye in children. The two other types of conjunctivitis are viral and allergic.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of bacterial conjunctivitis are yellow-green discharge, matting of the eye, and burning and itching. Viral conjunctivitis symptoms include redness, itching, clear or white discharge from the eye, runny nose, cough and sore throat. Allergic conjunctivitis symptoms are tearing, itching, a family history of allergies and swelling of the sclera, which is the white part of the eye.

How to Tell the Difference

• Bacterial pinkeye is characterized by a thicker, yellow-green discharge whereas viral or allergy pinkeye usually has a clear discharge. Allergic pinkeye can't be spread to another person.

Incubation vs Quarantine

• The incubation period is how long the germ takes to cause symptoms once someone is exposed. Quarantine refers to the period you must keep the afflicted child away from others to prevent spreading the illness.

Incubation Period

• The incubation period for bacterial pinkeye is 24 to 72 hours. The incubation period for viral pinkeye is anywhere from 12 hours to 3 days.