If You Had Pneumonia as a Child More Likely to Get It Again
Key points to remember about pneumonia
- pneumonia is an infection of the lungs
- pneumonia causes cough, fever and bug with breathing
- viruses and bacteria tin can both cause pneumonia
- viral pneumonia is more common in children
- virtually children make a complete recovery from pneumonia
- if y'all are worried about your child'due south breathing, you should see a dr.
What is pneumonia?
Immunisation helps to prevent some serious causes of pneumonia.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It often affects only part of the lungs.
What causes pneumonia?
A smoke-complimentary environment lowers the adventure of your child getting pneumonia.
Viruses and bacteria can both crusade pneumonia.
In children, especially young children, viral pneumonia is more mutual.
It tin be difficult to tell whether the pneumonia is due to a virus or bacteria.
Can you catch pneumonia?
Yes, yous tin can catch the viruses that crusade viral pneumonia - they tin can spread hands betwixt people. Most children and adults with a virus merely go a cold. Only a few will get pneumonia. Viral infections, including viral pneumonia, are more common in winter.
Bacterial pneumonia does not commonly spread between people.
Because it'due south difficult to tell whether pneumonia is viral or bacterial, it is wise to go on your kid with pneumonia away from others.
What puts my child at risk of getting pneumonia?
Anyone can go pneumonia, simply some children are more than likely to than others. A child volition be at greater take chances of getting pneumonia if they:
- are very young
- are around cigarette smoke
- haven't had their immunisations
- take a long-lasting condition that affects the lungs (such as bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis)
- are taking a medicine that affects the infection-fighting (immune) system
- were a premature baby
- have feeding problems, such as food or liquid going down the wrong way, into the lungs (aspiration)
- have other long-lasting medical bug
What are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia?
Check the signs that testify your child is struggling to breathe
Pneumonia causes cough, fever and trouble with breathing. Breathing problems include:
- breathing faster than usual
- noisy or rattly breathing
- difficulty with feeding
- making a grunting sound with breathing
- putting a lot of extra effort into breathing
Your child with pneumonia is usually very tired and looks unwell.
Viral pneumonia
Viral pneumonia usually develops over days. It starts with a cold and a runny olfactory organ. Then there is a cough, and sometimes fever, before breathing bug develop.
Bacterial pneumonia
Bacterial pneumonia usually develops faster, over a day. It causes high fever, a cough, and animate problems. Your child may exist very tired and await quite unwell.
Sometimes bacterial pneumonia develops during a viral infection. If this happens, your child will usually accept a cold for a few days, so become more unwell quite apace.
When should I seek help for my child with pneumonia?
If you lot are worried that your kid may have pneumonia, you need to see a doctor.
When do I demand to see a doc urgently?
You should see a dr. urgently if your child:
- is under three months erstwhile
- is breathing fast, has noisy breathing and is having to use extra effort to exhale
- is having less than one-half their normal feeds
- looks stake and unwell
- doesn't seem to be getting better from a balmy illness
- suddenly gets worse after get-go to get ameliorate
When should I punch 111?
Dial 111 within New Zealand (apply the appropriate emergency number in other countries) and enquire for urgent medical assist if your kid:
- has blue lips and tongue
- has astringent difficulty breathing
- is condign very sleepy and not easy to wake upwards
- is very pale
- is floppy
- has periods of irregular animate or pauses in breathing
How is pneumonia diagnosed?
Your family unit dr. can usually diagnose pneumonia in your kid later listening to their breast. Sometimes, they may arrange a chest ten-ray which will usually prove the pneumonia.
If your child looks very unwell, and particularly if they're very immature, your doctor may enquire yous to take them to hospital.
What is the treatment for pneumonia?
Your dr. volition give antibiotics to your child if they have bacterial pneumonia. Doctors may utilise antibiotics when it is non clear whether your child's pneumonia is viral or bacterial. If your kid is young or sick enough to be in hospital, they volition often accept antibiotics past a baste (into a vein).
They may also need support with their breathing and feeding. A small number of children who are extremely unwell with pneumonia demand more intensive hospital treatment.
How can I care for my child with pneumonia at dwelling?
If your child is miserable because of pain or fever, you lot tin can give paracetamol to brand them more comfy. Yous must follow the dosage instructions on the canteen. It is unsafe to give more the recommended dose.
Your child volition need rest to help them recover from pneumonia. Encourage them to drink fluids and eat healthy minor meals.
If your doctor has given your child antibiotics, brand certain they take all the doses until finished.
It is wise to keep your kid with pneumonia away from other children, to limit the spread of infection.
How long does pneumonia last?
If your child is yet coughing after 4 weeks, go dorsum to your doctor.
A child commonly takes a couple of weeks to fully recover. Over that fourth dimension the infection-fighting (immune) system will be cleaning up the pneumonia. Coughing up phlegm is part of the cleaning upward process. The coughing may terminal upwardly to 4 weeks just should gradually be getting better over this time.
Y'all should have your kid dorsum to your doctor if:
- you are worried that the cough is getting worse again
- the cough has not stopped after 4 weeks
- your child is still cough up phlegm after 4 weeks
- your child has had pneumonia 3 or more times
A long-lasting coughing, coughing upwardly phlegm, or repeated pneumonia can be a sign of bronchiectasis. This is a type of scarring in the lungs.
Are there likely to be any complications from pneumonia?
Most children make a full recovery from pneumonia. They exercise non have whatever lasting effects.
A minor number of children may demand specialised treatment for complications. A very pocket-size number of children may get very sick.
How tin pneumonia be prevented?
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding your infant protects them from getting pneumonia by boosting their infection-fighting (immune) organisation. Breastfeeding beyond iv months of age offers the best protection.
Smoke-gratis environment
Brand sure your kid's environs is smoke-complimentary. This will help reduce the take chances of your kid getting pneumonia. If you want to surrender smoking:
- call the free Quitline on 0800 778 778 or text 4006
- cheque out the Quitline/Me Mutu website
- enquire your wellness professional
Immunisation
Immunisation helps to forestall some serious causes of pneumonia, in particular, immunisation against the following diseases:
- pneumococcal disease
- whooping cough (pertussis)
- Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)
- influenza
Treatment for long-lasting conditions
Make sure your child keeps upwards with their treatment for whatsoever long-lasting (chronic) conditions such equally asthma.
A warm business firm
Keeping the house warm and well-insulated will too decrease your child's risk of developing pneumonia.
Read nearly keeping your dwelling warm and dry
Clean hands
Make sure everyone in your family washes their hands regularly and thoroughly, and dries them well including (but not only) before preparing food and eating.
Balanced diet and healthy weight
Make certain your kid has a healthy balanced nutrition and maintains a healthy weight. Being underweight or overweight can increase your child'southward risk of getting pneumonia.
Acknowledgements
Source: https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/pneumonia
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