Colds in children are often complicated by pneumonia, which is difficult to detect and treat. This severe pathology can be different, it all depends on what area of inflammation it covers.
Toddlers up to three years old usually suffer from a complex form of pneumonia, which occurs atypically. With such an ailment, a child cannot cough up sputum and say exactly where it hurts. To avoid the negative consequences of the disease, it is important to identify pneumonia in advance. Symptoms in children 2 years old, as a rule, are more pronounced than in schoolchildren.
Causes of pneumonia
Most often, in young children, pneumonia occurs due to a weakened immune system due to stress or hypothermia. A common cold and SARS can become the impetus for the spread of this disease. If parents suspected pneumonia in a 2-year-old child, symptoms, treatment methods and timely diagnosis will help cure the disease.
The main causative agents of this acute disease of the respiratory system in a baby up to 5 years old can be some bacteria, for example, Klebsiella. This rod-shaped microorganism is transmitted mainly by fecal-oral, contact, and sometimes by food. There is a breeding of Klebsiella in the intestine. At risk are infants and premature babies. It is found in the baby's feces when passing tests, while the stool in the child becomes yellow-green and foamy with particles of undigested food.
When this bacterium affects the respiratory tract, the patient has a fever up to 41 degrees and pain in the chest appears. Moreover, Klebsiella is resistant to many antibiotics, so it is difficult to treat the pneumonia caused by this microorganism in a 2-year-old child. The symptoms of bacteria entering the baby's body are as follows: weight loss and appetite, the occurrence of a sharp smell of feces, fever. Even in a child, sputum with bloody veins and an unpleasant odor can actively stand out. Such a microorganism is dangerous for newborns, since it can provoke the development of pyelonephritis, meningitis, abscesses and other dangerous pathologies.
In addition, staphylococcus, which is located in the microflora of the mucosa, without causing harm, can lead to pneumonia, but when the protective functions of the body decrease, it begins to multiply actively.
Chlamydia can also cause pneumonia in young children. Such microorganisms are manifested by serious pathologies of the respiratory organs. When they appear, the child develops a dry cough, overall well-being remains normal. Timely treatment allows you to get rid of chlamydia in 2 weeks. In advanced cases, these microorganisms lead to the appearance of vomiting, blue skin and rapid deep breathing.
When chlamydia penetrates the body, conjunctivitis occurs. Even at an early stage of the disease, signs such as:
- a sore throat;
- runny nose;
- dry cough;
- sinusitis;
- temperature differences.
When these microorganisms are found in an infant, the mother will have to undergo an examination and a therapeutic course, since the infection in this case was most likely to occur in utero. Chlamydia treatment requires an integrated approach, including physiotherapeutic procedures, the use of fortifying drugs and antibiotics.
Mycoplasma also often leads to pneumonia in young children. Such unicellular organisms live off healthy cells. They affect the respiratory tract, and sometimes the organs of the genitourinary system.
These types of pathogens of pneumonia in babies 2-3 years are most common, although they are not the only ones. Pneumonia is mixed, viral, provoked by the simplest microorganisms or helminths, bacterial, fungal.
Inflammation in a 2-year-old child : symptoms and first signs
It is far from immediately possible to make a correct diagnosis. Gradually begin to develop when pneumonia is detected in a child 2 years old and older, symptoms. And to determine the appearance of this pathology immediately is not so simple. A small patient is not able to independently assess the degree of pain, unlike an adult. In children it is more difficult to identify the onset of the development of the disease. It is difficult to establish, the baby recently felt a headache, malaise, chills, weakness with such an insidious pathology as pneumonia. The main symptoms in children of 2 years in the early stages of the formation of the disease usually come down to the fact that:
- The kid is lethargic and naughty all the time.
- With a cold, a few days later, an increase in temperature occurs.
- There is a cough.
- One part of the chest during breathing is far behind.
- Rapid shallow breathing appears.
If the baby has lost his appetite, he often sweats, sleeps constantly on one side, then, most likely, he has pneumonia. In a 2-year-old child, symptoms are usually more pronounced, so any changes in his behavior should alert parents. If you suspect pneumonia, you should immediately consult a doctor, because this disease can lead to tragedy. Only with the correct diagnosis can we talk about a complete recovery and prevention of complications after the inflammatory process in the lungs.
Inflammation of the lungs: symptoms in children 2 years old
With such a disease, signs of other respiratory infections may appear, for example, sore throat, sneezing, runny nose. Cough in pneumonia can be severe, superficial, wet or dry, and in some situations it is completely absent. Sputum begins to be released only if the inflammation has passed to the bronchi.
When pneumonia is detected, the symptoms in children 2-3 years old are as follows:
- Violation of the frequency and rhythm of breathing.
- Blanching and cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle.
- Loss of appetite and aversion to food.
- Tearfulness and fatigue.
- Wheezing from the lungs and other extraneous sounds.
- Dilation of the nostrils during breathing.
A baby with such an ailment has rapid and shallow breathing. Symptoms help to identify pneumonia. In children 2 years old, signs can be seen with an external examination of the body. First of all, attention should be paid to the chest, since the affected lung lags behind the general rhythm during breathing.
How to treat inflammation in young patients?
It is important to diagnose the disease in time and prescribe effective therapy to avoid complications. First of all, the doctor determines whether the child needs hospitalization or not, and then prescribes a set of procedures and medications. But in most cases, treatment of children under 3 years of age is carried out in a hospital, as daily monitoring is required and, if necessary, emergency assistance. Still under constant supervision should be babies with rickets, weakened immunity and chronic respiratory diseases.
As already known, symptoms can be detected in pneumonia. In children 2 years of age, treatment consists of taking antibiotics. These are: Sulfamethoxazole, Amoxicillin, cephalosporins (Zeftera), macrolides (Clarithromycin) and fluoroquinolones (Moxifloxacin, Levofloxacin and others). Doctors conduct empirical treatment until they get the results of the examination.
In the event that the condition of a small patient does not improve within two days, a new drug is prescribed. When the disease is caused by viral infections, antibiotics do not bring the desired result, so antiviral drugs are prescribed: interferons, Oseltamivir. If pneumonia is provoked by a fungus, then surely use such drugs as Diflucan, Flucanozole and other similar drugs.
When a child has severe hypoxia, then he is transferred to a ventilator in the intensive care unit. When dehydration is performed, oral rehydration with saline solutions, and, possibly, the use of infusions.
Antipyretics, mucolytics, anti-inflammatory and expectorant drugs, as well as bronchodilators are used to treat pneumonia.
Symptomatic treatment of the inflammatory process in the lungs involves physiotherapy, respiratory gymnastics, drainage massage, ultraviolet irradiation and physical education. In addition, doctors recommend using probiotics to normalize the intestinal microflora, as well as sorbents for removing toxic substances from the body. With pneumonia, inhalation is still done with a nebulizer, immunomodulators and vitamins are used.
Diagnostic procedures
Symptoms will help to recognize pneumonia in a 2-year-old child . Diagnosis of this disease is performed only by a doctor. Moreover, in some cases it is quite difficult to detect this disease. After all, basal pneumonia, even on an x-ray, can not always be seen. That is why, if the parents suggest that the baby is precisely this ailment, they must insist on a more thorough examination.
Symptoms will help detect pneumonia in a 2-year-old child, while diagnostic methods are aimed at performing a full examination:
- X-rays of light.
- Biochemical studies.
- Blood analysis.
- A survey of parents and a child.
- Tapping the chest.
In babies up to a year, this pathology is able to develop rapidly, so in their case it is impossible to hesitate if frequent breathing appears and the temperature rises.
How to cure respiratory disease folk remedies?
If the pneumonia in a child of 2 years does not pass for a long time, the symptoms of the disease only increase, it is necessary to combine the main therapy with traditional medicine. But before resorting to taking such funds, it is necessary to consult a doctor.
When pneumonia is accompanied by a strong cough, an expectorant made from natural products will help. To improve sputum discharge, squeeze out the juice of white cabbage, and add a little honey to it. So, in 100 grams of liquid, 1 teaspoon of bee product is bred. The baby needs to be given the medicine several times a day, 10 grams immediately after a meal.
Helps to fight pneumonia with herbal decoction. For its preparation you will need: oregano, angelica, St. John's wort, lavender. All these components are taken in equal proportions, mixed and filled with water. After that, the mixture is boiled for at least 20 minutes. To enhance the healing properties of the decoction, it is necessary to add tinctures of viburnum and oak bark to it. Insist the mixture for 2 hours. For kids, a prepared broth is given a teaspoon 3 times a day.
In the treatment of pneumonia, inhalations have been well established using various essential oils: coriander, eucalyptus, fir and basil. Such procedures should be performed in the morning and in the evening, and each should be about 5-10 minutes long.
A fairly effective method of treating pneumonia is a compress applied to the upper back of the baby. First, a mixture of honey, camphor oil and alcohol is made. Then a piece of tissue is taken and soaked in the resulting mixture, after which the flap is applied to the specified location. It is advisable to wrap the child in a warm blanket and leave the compress overnight.
To combat this insidious disease in folk medicine, honey with radish is often used. The root crop is cut into two halves, while the upper part should be smaller in size. The whole pulp is removed from the big half, filled with honey and covered with a small part. After the mixture is infused, it can be given to the baby several times a day. A new portion of such a medicine should be prepared daily. It is undesirable to take this remedy for more than 5 days.
Complications of pneumonia
In advanced cases, pleura may be involved in the inflammatory process, because of which the baby begins to complain of severe pain in the chest. When this happens, croup with a specific rash is often added to pleurisy, which leads to the defeat of the entire area of the lung. But the most dangerous complication is pulmonary destruction, which in most cases leads to death.
Delayed or incorrect therapy for pneumonia often leads to cardiovascular failure, especially often a similar ailment occurs in children 2 years old. This happens with severe inflammation and prolonged intoxication of the body.
How to care for sick children?
When doctors diagnosed pneumonia in a child whose symptoms have been examined above, it is necessary to provide him with a comfortable and favorable environment. On top of that, the baby needs complete peace. During this period, more vegetables and fruits should be added to the diet. To avoid dehydration caused by the disease, it is imperative that the child is given plenty of water.
Preventative measures
Symptoms help to detect pneumonia in a 2-year-old child, while prevention prevents this ailment. Prevention of pneumonia is a key condition for reducing child mortality. Prevention consists in hardening the baby, breastfeeding, combating dust and gas contamination in the room, playing sports.
It is important to protect the child from secondhand smoke and to observe basic standards of personal hygiene. You should also quickly respond to any signs of malaise. In the case when your beloved child is ill too often and for a long time with pneumonia, it is better not to risk it and get vaccinated. Of course, she will not be able to protect against all pathogens of the disease, but she will form a strong defense against streptococcus and pneumococcus.
Disease duration
If the pathology proceeds without complications, then the child will recover after proper treatment after 10 days. Sometimes doctors insist that medicines be used within 2 weeks to consolidate the result. If after this time, the signs of the disease did not disappear, and the child’s condition did not improve, then the treatment regimen should be changed and antibiotics of the new group should be used.
You can not self-medicate or run the disease. It is necessary to carefully monitor the condition of the baby. Of course, improvement does not occur immediately, but if there are no changes in a few days, it is better to consult a doctor again.