Staph Infection & the Risk for Orbital Cellulitis

Respiratory infection is a common childhood illness. For many children, the complications associated with respiratory infection, sinus infection and the common cold, usually resolve without further complication once antibiotic therapy is administered. In other cases, the complication may be more complex, resulting from delayed management and treatment of staph infection, strep infection or even MRSA.

For some children, however, the complications associated with infection may lead to secondary health risks. For example, sinus infection can often affect areas outside of the sinuses, including the eyes. As a condition commonly referred to as orbital cellulitis, children who suffer from this complication are generally diagnosed with sinusitis with orbital cellulitis developing as a secondary health risk.

Orbital cellulitis is a complication involving vision and eye health that, when not treated properly, can result in loss of vision and even lead to life threatening health complications. For this reason, when your child suffers from sinusitis, it is important to not only treat the infection promptly but also to monitor for the development of orbital cellulitis symptoms.

Children with complications involving orbital cellulitis will often exhibit symptoms, first, of discharge from the eye followed by complications involving the development of an orbital abscess. Upon culture, the infection in and around the eye will usually result in positive staph infection, strep infection or MRSA infection.

If your child is confirmed as suffering from the staph infection, strep infection or MRSA of the orbital, it is important to seek medical attention immediately. In most cases, the development of orbital cellulitis will result in the need for IV antibiotics, requiring hospital admission.