Pneumonia is a common and frightening condition that affects the lungs and cardiovascular system. While pneumonia can be dangerous to everyone it infects, it’s especially dangerous for children. The immune systems of children aren’t as strong or developed as the systems of adults, which means that pneumonia can wreak havoc on their bodies.
While pneumonia can cause a great deal of damage, there are also milder forms of the disease. Regardless of how severe the case is, pneumonia is always an infection of the lungs and results in uncomfortable symptoms. Early treatment and diagnosis of pneumonia in children is essential to prevent future complications, illnesses, and even death.
The symptoms that your child experiences as a result of pneumonia will vary depending on the age and overall health of the child. Symptoms will also vary depending on the underlying cause and severity of pneumonia. Here are some of the most common to expect.
In general, symptoms will start out slow and mild and get progressively worse as the condition progresses. For that reason, early diagnosis and treatment are essential.
There are two broad types of pneumonia in children – bacterial and viral. Bacterial pneumonia happens when a destructive type of bacteria invades and attacks the body. Viral pneumonia is similar but results from a virus instead of bacteria. Finally, it’s also possible for children to get bacteria as a result of fungi, but this form of pneumonia is fairly rare. Here are some of the most common viruses and bacteria that can lead to pneumonia.
It’s important to determine the exact cause of your child’s pneumonia for the ensuing treatment to be effective. Additionally, some children are more at risk for developing pneumonia than others. Here are some of the known risk factors.
There are several different tests and methods your doctor may use to diagnose pneumonia. They will take your physical symptoms and health history into consideration and administer one or more of the following tests.
A blood test can determine if there’s too much carbon dioxide or too little oxygen in the blood.
An x-ray, a chest CT scan, and a bronchoscopy can help visually detect a lung infection indicating pneumonia. A pulse oximetry test is also effective for checking your oxygen levels.
A sputum culture is when your child’s cough is productive and presents mucus. This mucus is then tested for the presence of disease and infection, possibly indicating pneumonia.
A spirometry test is valuable in helping determine the air capacity within your lungs. Minimized capacity is indicative of a lung infection, typically pneumonia.
Using these tests and others, your doctor can effectively diagnose whether or not your child has pneumonia. These tests can also determine the cause and type of pneumonia and the best course of treatment.
Regardless of the cause of pneumonia, doctors will often recommend the same course of treatment and management.
Medications and antibiotics are the most effective way to treat pneumonia in children.
There are also a number of home remedies that can help ease the symptoms of pneumonia. This includes drinking fluids, sleeping, humidification, and more.
In extreme cases, when home remedies and medications aren’t improving their symptoms, your child may require more intensive treatment. This could include oxygen therapy, IV fluids, and other treatments.