Viral pneumonia in a child is a complication arising from viral respiratory diseases. Basically, the cause of this disease is untimely or improper treatment of colds, bronchitis, tonsillitis, flu.
Description of the disease
Viral pneumonia is an acute inflammatory disease caused by viruses that affects the lower respiratory tract. This type of pneumonia is considered a typical childhood illness.
Parents of children are very wary of this ailment. They consider him one of the most insidious, and they do it for good reason. Not always adults can quickly recognize and distinguish the symptoms of inflammation from some other kind of viral disease. Current medicine allows for quick and effective treatment. An important factor is the timely visit to a doctor and diagnosis of the disease.
How to recognize the signs of viral pneumonia in children in time? How to treat and how to prevent this disease? This will be further described in detail in the article.
Why does this disease occur? Causes of viral pneumonia in children
Children with reduced immunity are at greater risk of contracting viral pneumonia. The weaker the immune system, the more likely it is that a running cold or flu will develop into a more serious illness.
Viral pneumonia in a child is divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary occurs with direct infection with pathogenic viruses, microbes. Secondary pneumonia is a disease that has arisen against the background of a previous illness. With the first symptoms of acute respiratory infections, acute respiratory viral infections, tonsillitis or bronchitis, you should immediately contact a pediatrician who will prescribe the correct treatment.
A number of diseases in children increase the risk of pneumonia. Such pathologies include:
- rickets;
- iron deficiency in the body, iron deficiency anemia;
- diseases of the central nervous system;
- heart disease;
- pathology of the liver and kidneys;
- weakened immunity.
Signs of the disease in young children up to a year
How to recognize the symptoms of viral pneumonia in children? Attentive parents will not miss the change in the condition of the baby. It is important to immediately consult a doctor without wasting time on self-medication and without aggravating the condition of a small patient.
Signs of viral pneumonia in children vary by age.
Young children under one year old may have the following symptoms:
- Fever. The temperature reaches 39-40 degrees. Attempts to reduce it do not give a result, or it decreases for a short time.
- Refusal of food, loss of appetite. Breastfed babies refuse to breast or eat very little, more so as to calm them down.
- Behavior change. The child can become overly excited, moody. Another manifestation is possible - drowsiness, lethargy, uncharacteristic calm for the baby.
- Dyspnea - frequent intermittent breathing. In this case, children have a skin tension in the ribs.
- The blue area of the skin between the lips and nose is cyanosis. Especially this symptom becomes noticeable when sneezing, coughing or crying.
Young children are not characterized by the "adult" symptoms of the disease. In the early days of the disease, wheezing is not heard in the chest, and there is no cough. The latter can occur only on the fifth day of illness. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose the disease in young children.
Symptoms of viral pneumonia in school children are manifested in the same way as adults. Often, these symptoms are the same as with viral respiratory diseases.
School children, teenagers. How does this disease manifest in them?
These children may have the following symptoms:
- Nasal congestion, runny nose.
- Cough, severe shortness of breath. In the first days, the child’s cough is dry, after two to three days, sputum appears and begins to pass.
- An increase in body temperature to 37 degrees, sometimes up to 39. There are frequent cases of viral pneumonia in children without fever.
- Signs of intoxication are headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea without fever, general weakness.
In some cases, there is pain in the hypochondrium.
The incubation period of viral pneumonia in children can last from two to three days to a week. If the disease is caused by the influenza virus, then this period lasts no more than three days. If the first signs of the disease appear, then the incubation period has passed and it is necessary to begin active treatment.
Diagnosis of the disease. What needs to be done to determine this disease?
At the first manifestations of such symptoms, parents should show the child to the doctor. By listening, the pediatrician will hear signs of pneumonia: wheezing and noise, characteristic of this disease.
With viral pneumonia in a child, radiography is necessary. Without pictures, it will be difficult for a doctor to make a diagnosis. It is better if the picture is taken front and side. So the area of lung damage and the degree of development of the disease will be clearly visible.
For an accurate diagnosis, the cause of the disease should be identified. To determine the pathogen, bacteriological tests of blood and sputum are necessary. Obtaining complete information about the disease will allow the doctor to choose the right and effective treatment tactics.
Treatment of the disease in children. How is it carried out and in what conditions?
Treatment of viral pneumonia in children can be carried out at home or in a hospital. Depending on the:
- age
- patient condition;
- type of disease (in acute pneumonia, treatment is carried out in a hospital);
- care for a sick child that parents can (or cannot) provide,
- the presence of smokers in the environment of the child.
For children under one year old, pneumonia can be a serious threat to life. Therefore, treatment should be carried out in a hospital under the supervision of specialists.
For older children, preschool age, the decisive factor in choosing a place will be the state of the immune system and the presence of chronic diseases. The doctor may suggest treatment in a hospital.
In complex cases of the disease, it will also be more effective and safer to conduct therapy in a hospital.
In other cases, treatment can be carried out at home.
What is used in the treatment of ailment?
Prescribing antibiotics for viral pneumonia in children is a necessary measure. Despite the fact that these drugs negatively affect the digestive tract and suppress the immune system, without them there is no chance of recovery. Antibiotics are prescribed only by a doctor. If within two days (in the acute course of the disease - 24 hours) there is no positive result from taking medications, the doctor changes them.
In parallel with antibiotics, therapy is prescribed to maintain the work of the stomach and intestines. The child for this period will need to provide an easy, but healthy and high-calorie diet.
Treatment of viral pneumonia in children is aimed at eliminating the foci of the manifestation of the disease. With antibiotics, the doctor prescribes:
- mucolytic drugs that facilitate the discharge of sputum.
- antipyretic drugs to improve the well-being of the child.
Adequate fluid intake will help improve the condition of the child. Drinking should be plentiful and warm: clear water (still), teas, juices, compotes. Dehydration should not be allowed against a background of high temperature, in addition, heavy drinking will contribute to the withdrawal of sputum.
Do not bring down the temperature if it has risen to around 37 degrees. An increase in temperature indicates that the body is actively fighting microbes. Giving the child antipyretics should be done when the temperature rises above 38. This advice does not apply to children under one year of age and those children who have previously experienced low-grade convulsions.
Antibacterial treatment can last from seven to ten days. If there are complications, the therapy will be extended by the doctor for a longer period.
Prevention of the disease in children
It is believed that this disease is a consequence of a weakened immune system. For this reason, the prevention of viral pneumonia in children includes measures to increase immunity. These include:
- proper nutrition;
- Compliance with the daily routine;
- hardening;
- vitamin complexes.
Parents should be attentive to the daily routine. If it is not respected, the child goes to bed at different times, at the wrong time and does not eat regularly, his growing body is very stressed.
The immunity of the child is largely dependent on nutrition. Lack of vitamins and minerals reduces protective functions, and the body cannot resist disease. The diet of the child should contain fresh fruits and vegetables, a sufficient amount of meat and dairy products. For children up to a year, breastfeeding is very important.
It is necessary to dress the child according to the weather, in no case should it be allowed that it is supercooling or overheating.
The room where the baby is located should be regularly ventilated and wet cleaned, and keep clean. Young children are very sensitive to stuffiness and dry air.
What ailments should be treated so that they do not cause pneumonia as a complication?
It is important to timely treat respiratory diseases that can trigger viral pneumonia. Such diseases include:
- flu;
- ARVI;
- sore throats;
- tonsillitis;
- pharyngitis;
- bronchitis;
- sinusitis.
During epidemics, parents should restrict the child from contact with sick children, temporarily reduce visits to crowded places and monitor their personal hygiene.
Little conclusion
Viral pneumonia in children is a disease that can lead to serious complications. A timely visit to a doctor will allow you to diagnose and prescribe an effective treatment. Self-medication and the use of alternative methods will only worsen the condition of the child, in addition, time will be lost.
A preventative measure is vaccination. But this measure is not mandatory and is carried out only by decision of the parents.