Pneumonia is a lung infection. It is usually caused by a virus or bacteria. These germs make the air sacs in the lungs fill with fluid phlegm or mucous Picture 1. This makes it hard to breathe and causes your child to cough. Often the child is not sick enough to stay home. He or she can still walk around with little difficulty. Pneumonia is spread by infected people who carry the germs in fluid droplets in their throats, noses or mouths. The infected person coughs the germs into the air.
Widespread use of effective childhood vaccines that protect against certain bacterial pneumonias have made bacterial causes of pneumonia less common. However, childhood pneumonia from all causes remains a top reason for child hospitalization.
The CAP guideline was developed, in part, to help ensure antibiotics and other antimicrobials are selected with precision to address the root cause of the lung infection. And another way is making that expertise available anytime through a guideline. People with bacterial pneumonia are usually sicker than those with viral pneumonia, but they can be treated with antibiotic medications.
You might have heard the terms "double pneumonia" or "walking pneumonia. It's common for pneumonia to affect both lungs, so don't worry if your doctor says this is what you have — it doesn't mean you're twice as sick. Walking pneumonia refers to pneumonia that is mild enough that you may not even know you have it. Walking pneumonia also called atypical pneumonia because it's different from the typical bacterial pneumonia is common in teens and is often caused by a tiny microorganism, Mycoplasma pneumoniae pronounced: my-co-PLAZ-ma noo-MO-nee-ay.
Like the typical bacterial pneumonia, walking pneumonia also can be treated with antibiotics. It's common for a person with pneumonia to start out with something milder like a cough or sore throat — which also can happen in other infections.
But pneumonia is a bit worse because the infection goes down into the lungs. When pneumonia is caused by bacteria, a person tends to become sick quickly, develop a high fever, and have difficulty breathing. When it's caused by a virus, the illness comes on more gradually and might be less severe.
Someone's symptoms can help the doctor identify the type of pneumonia. Mycoplasma pneumoniae , for example, often causes headaches, sore throats, and rash in addition to the symptoms listed above. The routine vaccinations that most people receive as kids help prevent certain types of pneumonia and other infections.
If you have a chronic illness, such as sickle cell disease, you may have received extra vaccinations and disease-preventing antibiotics to help prevent pneumonia and other infections caused by bacteria. People should get a pneumococcal vaccination if they have diseases that affect their immune system like diabetes , HIV infection , or cancer , are 65 years or older, or are in other high-risk groups.
It may also be difficult to determine if toddlers have the illness because they may not be able to communicate how they feel as well as an older child can. Children who have been recently hospitalized, use antibiotics frequently, have asthma or another chronic illness, or haven't been fully vaccinated against certain illnesses — rubeola measles , chickenpox, pertussis whooping cough , Haemophilus influenzae type B Hib infections, or the seasonal flu — are at greater risk for developing pneumonia.
A child who hasn't been vaccinated with Prevnar 13 PCV13 is also more likely to get pneumonia. The only way to know for sure if a child has pneumonia is to see a doctor. A pediatrician or family medicine doctor can check for fluid in your child's lungs using a stethoscope or X-rays.
By paying attention to early pneumonia symptoms in children, parents may be able to avoid a trip to the emergency room. Still, pneumonia can progress very quickly among children, particularly infants and those with underlying medical conditions. Two key signs that a child requires immediate medical attention are:.
Young children with pneumonia will breathe fast. Doctors say you can see their belly muscles working hard to help them breathe. If your child is breathing fast, it's best to take them to the emergency room. Additional reporting by George Vernadakis. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. References Pneumonia: Fact Sheet. World Health Organization.
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