This winter! Children need to be careful of "pneumonia"

This winter! Children need to be careful of "pneumonia"

      The cold weather is here! It can make the body slow to adapt and more susceptible to illness. During this time, one of the diseases that children need to be cautious about is pneumonia or bronchitis, which can be transmitted through respiratory droplets, introducing the disease directly into the lungs through inhaling air contaminated with small particles, especially in crowded places like classrooms.

• Symptoms similar to a cold or flu
• Difficulty breathing and increased respiratory rate
• Fever or feeling warm and unwell
• Dry and frequent cough
• Rapid breathing with wheezing
• Abdominal pain and nausea
• Chest pain
• Presence of mucus with blood or greenish-yellow color
• Refusal to drink milk and loss of appetite

• General treatment :
        Patients with pneumonia who have symptoms like wheezing, high fever, sticky mucus, loss of appetite, and rapid breathing require adequate fluid intake as a necessity. In cases of rapid breathing, wheezing, chest retractions, or cyanosis (bluish discoloration of the lips or skin), and if oxygen levels are low, oxygen therapy should be considered. If wheezing is heard, bronchodilator medications should be used, along with mucus clearance techniques such as postural drainage, chest percussion, and assisting in mucus clearance.
• Specific treatment :
         For cases of viral pneumonia, there is no specific treatment, and supportive care is the primary approach. In cases where bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics should be given for at least 7-21 days depending on the type of bacteria and the severity.

• Avoid crowded places like shopping centers and cinemas, especially with young children.
• Avoid exposure to cigarette smoke, fire smoke, exhaust fumes from vehicles, or cold air.
• Do not let children under 1 year old and those with weakened immune systems stay close to sick individuals.
• Recommend getting the influenza vaccine.
• Recommend getting the Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD) vaccine, which protects against the Streptococcus pneumonia bacterium that can cause pneumonia. This vaccine can prevent infection and reduce the severity of the disease.

      Pneumonia is common in young children, and key symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and rapid breathing. In severe cases, it can lead to heart failure and death. Prevention includes handwashing, rest, and drinking plenty of clean water if it's a cold, avoiding crowded places with children, vaccinating against some types of pneumonia, and getting vaccinated against influenza and pertussis, which can complicate pneumonia.

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