Pneumonia is a fairly common and dangerous disease. It affects both adults and pediatric patients. And it’s not a secret to anyone that such a disease is more dangerous for a child. That is why many parents are interested in questions about what are the main signs of pneumonia in children. After all, the sooner the disease is diagnosed and treatment is started, the greater the chances of a quick recovery without complications.
What are the signs of pneumonia in newborns?
In fact, detecting pneumonia in a baby is much more difficult. But it is at this age that inflammation is most dangerous. However, there are some symptoms that can in no way be ignored.
A few days before the onset of a strong inflammatory process, the well-being of the child deteriorates sharply. You can notice some catarrhal phenomena, in particular, the baby has difficult nasal breathing, and with each inhalation, the wings of the nose swell too much. Along with this, appetite worsens, and the baby becomes irritable, constantly cries and sleeps poorly - these are the first signs of pneumonia.
Only after that does the body temperature rise sharply. The child's breathing and heart rate become more frequent. When you exhale, you can hear the characteristic grunting sounds. At about 5 or 6 days the cough itself appears.
Signs of pneumonia in children and adolescents
Of course, the manifestation of the symptoms of pneumonia depends on the age of the child. In older children, inflammation proceeds in approximately the same way as in adults.
First, breathing problems are noted, after which the body temperature rises to 38–39 degrees. Along with this, health is deteriorating - the child becomes irritable, complains of weakness, fatigue and drowsiness, refuses to eat, loses interest in games. This is what the first signs of pneumonia in children look like.
Unfortunately, most parents confuse these symptoms with a common cold and try to treat the children on their own, which is undoubtedly a mistake. It is worth noting that, unlike the flu, the fever with pneumonia lasts much longer.
A few days later, a severe dry cough appears. Attacks in most cases are extremely unpleasant - the child complains of chest and back pain that occurs during coughing. Headaches often appear periodically.
As the disease develops, the nature of the cough changes - it becomes wet and is accompanied by the release of purulent sputum. In some cases, the mucus released has a brownish, sometimes even rusty hue. In no case should you hesitate with therapy, since these are the most dangerous signs of pneumonia in children.
Pneumonia in a child: what to do?
In no case should you self-medicate or ignore the problem - a sick child must be urgently shown to a specialist. Only after examination, the doctor will be able to accurately diagnose the disease.
Mild forms of the disease do not require hospitalization. The treatment is carried out at home and provides antibiotic therapy with antibiotics, as well as taking expectorant or mucolytic drugs. The child needs peace, warmth, bed rest, plentiful drinking and a complete diet. In the most severe cases, therapy is carried out in a hospital setting.