Brian O., 4

Brian is a four year old boy who likes playing football with his friends. He is very lively and likes to play actively with the younger brother who is an infant. He is enrolled in Kindergarten where he also meets with other friends of his to learn. He would like to be a professional footballer when he grows up. Brian has been unwell for the past 1 week. He had been complaining of pain in the eyes and a sensation of having sand in the eyes, then after a few days the eyes became red and he also had discharge from the eyes. He has also had a persistent irritating cough that has been getting worse by the day and has also resulted in chest pain. The symptoms have been associated with a fever.

Brian's mother reports that the baby has had a few days history of eye pain, itchiness and occasional whitish discharge with associated hotness of the body, coughing that is accompanied by runny nose for the same duration with associated nasal congestion. He has also had watery eyes and weakness. Laboratory investigation was done - full haemogram and the patient was given appropriate medications as per the presenting complains Review was planned after 1 week to see how the baby responded to the medications given. Brian was back to good health when he was reviewed at the hospital, one week after

Bacterial conjuctivitis and acute nasopharyngitis should be treated with anti-inflammatories and antibiotics respectively. If left untreated, Acute nasopharyngitis may lead to the permanent lung damage, respiratory failure, septicaemia (infection entering blood stream and causing sepsis), pleural effusion (accumulation of fluid in the space between the lung and chest wall, which can make breathing difficult), and other life-threatening complications. On the other hand Allergic conjuctivitis may progress to cause chronic eye pain and even blindness