of treatment
Pneumonia in children is caused by many factors, including germs, viruses, parasites and fungi. Pneumonia in children means pneumonia in children, that is, that affects the lung tissue, and it is a disease characterized by fever, cough, shortness of breath, and rapid breathing, and the infection may usually appear on the chest x-ray.
Causes of pneumonia in children
Among the most prominent causes of pneumonia in children are the following
Germs: such as pneumococci, streptococci, and staphylococci.
Viruses: adenoviruses, influenza.
Fungi: Aspergillus and coccidioidomycosis.
Inhalation: dust, foreign bodies, and food matter.
Other causes of pneumonia in children: Treponema pallidum, and chlamydia.
Risk factors for pneumonia in children
The cause of pneumonia is an imbalance in the pulmonary defenses, and the most important causes of this imbalance are:
Viral infections where viruses change the properties of normal lung secretions and inhibit phagocytosis.
Immunodeficiency, that is, the inability to produce immune antibodies.
Cystic fibrosis.
inhale.
Congenital anomalies, such as: esophageal tracheal fistula and cleft palate.
Mucus cleaning abnormalities.
Clinical symptoms of pneumonia in children
Symptoms and signs of pneumonia vary according to the severity of the disease, the age of the child, and the causative germ. Infants may not have clear symptoms, and children who have immunosuppression have severe symptoms. In general, the symptoms of bacterial pneumonia are:
Cough producing sputum with fever, tachypnea, and chest pain.
A decrease in breathing sounds in the area of injury, with a gurgling that indicates inflammation.
Fever with tachypnea and sometimes bluish lips, cough, and tachycardia.
Complications of pneumonia in children
Some complications may occur, such as: suppuration of the pleura and lung abscess, and there may be infections in other parts of the body, such as: meningitis or otitis media, and this depends on the type of germ that causes it, the child’s immune status, and the child’s age.
Diagnosis of pneumonia in children
Among the most important tests used to diagnose pneumonia in children are the following
A white blood cell count that is elevated may indicate the presence of infection.
Chest radiograph, which reveals the presence of pneumonia and determines its type, and the chest radiograph identifies the presence of pulmonary atelectasis or pleural effusion.
It should be noted that radiographic changes do not always correspond to clinical observations.
Treating pneumonia in children
The general principles for treating bacterial pneumonia are
Giving antibiotics orally or intravenously, depending on the child''s condition and the causative germ.
Giving plenty of fluids, orally or intravenously.
Give analgesics, such as acetaminophen.
Giving oxygen when necessary.
Should pneumonia be treated in hospital?
The decision to admit to the hospital is something that the doctor decides on, depending on many factors: the age of the child, the severity of the injury, and the extent of the parents’ ability to provide nursing care at home. In general, older children can be treated at home if their injury is not severe.
As for young infants, it is preferable to be treated in the hospital because of the need to give fluids and antibiotics intravenously, in addition to the high rate of complications for them.
