The phrase "pneumonia" and the term "pneumonia" are synonyms. But in everyday life people prefer to call the disease just pneumonia. The term "pneumonia" is used, first of all, by physicians.
Causes of pneumonia in children
Inflammation of the lungs is a fairly common disease, frequent in children due to the peculiarities of the structure of the respiratory system. As a rule, the disease is secondary, that is, a complication after the acute respiratory viral infection, influenza, bronchitis, intestinal infection, caused by numerous bacteria, such as streptococci and pneumococci.
This is a common opinion. But not everyone knows that pneumonia can also occur after a fracture, after a severe poisoning and a burn. After all, lung tissue, in addition to the respiratory function, also performs blood filtration, neutralizing the decay products and various harmful substances that are formed when tissues die. Inflammation of the lungs in infants can occur as a result of congenital heart disease, immunodeficiency, and in newborns, due to ingestion of the amniotic fluid during labor.
Symptoms of pneumonia in children
In children, signs and course of pneumonia directly depend on age. The smaller the child, the less obvious they are, like older children. Any cold can develop into pneumonia due to the fact that the infant epithelium, lining the airways, has a loose, loose structure, and it easily hosts viruses.
Sputum, which is assigned the role of protector of lung tissue, ceases to perform its functions. It becomes more viscous, as the body loses fluid due to increased temperature, and begins to clog the bronchi, making breathing difficult. In the foci of obstruction accumulate pathogenic microbes, and in this place inflammation begins.
The body temperature can be in the range 37.3 ° - 37.5 °, and can rise to 39 ° and above.
A prolonged cough, at first dry, and then wet, is almost the main indicator of the disease. Sometimes there may be pain in the chest, but at an older age, an ache in the body.
So, if, against the background of a common cold, the baby persistently holds the temperature for more than three days, it is advisable to call a doctor who will direct the child to an X-ray. Because it is with his help that the diagnosis of "pneumonia" is made.
Treatment of pneumonia in children
As with the treatment of the bulk of colds, due consideration should be given to the conditions in which the affected child is in treatment of pneumonia.
The air should be cool and damp. If you do not have a household air humidifier, you can use the simple method of placing water containers in the room and hanging wet terry towels on the batteries. Air should in no case be overheated, because so much more liquid will lose the child. Daily wet cleaning should be done without the use of chemicals.
The drinking regime must be observed very strictly to avoid dehydration and intoxication of the body. You can drink any liquid in a warm form to your child.
The temperature below 38.5 ° does not usually go astray, so as not to interfere with the production of interferon, which fights the disease.
Both bilateral and unilateral pneumonia in children are treated equally.
The main drug treatment for pneumonia is taking antibiotics. Assign them in the form of tablets, suspensions or intramuscular injections, depending on the severity of the disease.
Parents need to remember that pneumonia in children, especially the breast, is a serious illness. And, if it is treated incorrectly, it is fraught with complications. In general, the treatment of young children is carried out in a hospital.