Viral pneumonia in children: symptoms, treatment and prevention

Viral pneumonia in a child is a complication arising out of viral respiratory diseases. Mainly cause of the disease be delayed or incorrect treatment of colds, bronchitis, sore throats, influenza.

Description of the disease

Viral pneumonia is an acute inflammatory disease caused by viruses and affects the lower respiratory tract. This type of pneumonia is typically considered a childhood disease.

Parents of children with great caution treat this disease. I consider it one of the most insidious, and they do it knowingly. Not always, adults can quickly recognize and distinguish symptoms of inflammation from other of some viral diseases. Current medicine allows you to quickly and effectively treat you. The important factor is timely access to a doctor and diagnosis of the disease.

How to recognize the symptoms of viral pneumonia in children? How to treat and how to prevent this disease? This further detail will be discussed in the article.

What causes this disease? Causes of viral pneumonia in children

A Greater risk of Contracting viral pneumonia affects children with reduced immunity. The weaker the immune system, the more likely that a neglected cold or flu develop into a more serious disease.

Viral pneumonia in a child are divided into two types: primary and secondary. Primary occurs by direct infection of pathogenic viruses, microbes. Secondary pneumonia-the disease occurred on the background of previous disease. When the first symptoms of cold, respiratory catarrh, sore throat or bronchitis, you should immediately contact your pediatrician, who will prescribe the right treatment.

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A Number of diseases in children increase the risk of pneumonia. Such pathologies include:

• Rickets;
• Iron deficiency, iron deficiency anemia;
• Diseases of the Central nervous system;
• Heart disease;
• Pathology of the liver and kidney;
• Weakened immune system.

The Signs of the disease in young babies under one year

How to recognize the symptoms of viral pneumonia in children? Attentive parents will not let change of state kid. It is important to consult a doctor without wasting time on self and not exacerbating the condition of the little patient.

Symptoms of viral pneumonia in children vary depending on age.

Young children up to one year may be the following symptoms:

1. Increased temperature. The temperature reaches 39-40 degrees. Attempts to reduce it failed, or it is reduced for a short time.
2. Food Refusal, poor appetite. The breastfed children refuse the breast or eat very little, mostly to calm.
3. Behavior Change. The child may become overly excited, cranky. Another possible manifestation – drowsiness, lethargy, uncharacteristic calm for the baby.
4. Breathlessness – frequent shortness of breath. The children observed the tension of the skin in the rib area.
5. Blue skin between the lips and nose-cyanosis. Especially this feature becomes noticeable when sneezing, coughing or crying.

Small children is not peculiar to the “adult” symptoms of the disease. In the first days of the disease in the chest not listening wheezing, cough is absent. The latter may manifest itself only on the fifth day of the disease. So diagnosing the disease in young children can be difficult.

The Symptoms of viral pneumonia in children of school age are manifested in the same way as adults. Often these symptoms are the same as in viral respiratory diseases.

School-age Children, adolescents. How does this disease have?

These children may have the following symptoms:

1. Nasal Congestion, runny nose.
2. Cough, severe shortness of breath. In the early days of cough in a child dry, after two or three days appears and begins to move away mucus.
3. Increased body temperature to 37 degrees, sometimes up to 39. There are cases of occurrence of viral pneumonia in children without fever.
4. Signs of intoxication-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 weeks. If the disease is caused by the influenza virus, this period lasts no more than three days. If you observe the first symptoms, so the incubation period is passed and you need to start active treatment.

Diagnosis of the disease. What needs to be done to determine this disease?

The first manifestations of such symptoms, parents should show the child the doctor. Pediatrician with listening to hear signs of pneumonia: rales and noises characteristic of the disease.

In case of viral pneumonia, the child needs to do x-rays. Without the images the doctor will be difficult to diagnose. Better if we made the front and side. So it will be clearly seenthe area of lung disease and the degree of development of the disease.

For accurate diagnosis should identify the cause of the disease. To determine the required pathogen and bacteriological analyses of blood and phlegm. Complete information about the disease will allow the doctor to choose the correct and effective treatment strategy.

Treatment of disease in children. How is and in what conditions?

Treatment of viral pneumonia in children can be performed at home or in the hospital. Depending on

• Age;
• State of the patient;
• Type of disease (acute pneumonia the treatment is done in hospital);
• Care for a sick child, which may (or may not) provide parents
• The presence of smokers in the child's environment.

For children under one year pneumonia can be a serious threat to life. Therefore, treatment should be performed in a hospital under the supervision of experts.

For older children, preschool-age, the decisive factor in the choice of location will be the state of the immune system and the presence of chronic diseases. The doctor can propose treatment in a hospital.

In severe cases of the disease will also be more efficient and safer to conduct therapy in the hospital.

In other cases, the treatment can be performed at home.

What is used in the treatment of disease?

The prescription of antibiotics for viral pneumonia in children is a necessary measure. Despite the fact that these drugs adversely affect the gastrointestinal tract and suppress the immune system, without them there is no chance of recovery. Antibiotics appoint a doctor. If within two days (for acute illness 24 hours) there is no positive result from the medication, the physician changes them.

In Parallel with the assigned antibiotic therapy aimed at maintaining functioning of the stomach and intestines. The child in this period will need to provide an easy but useful and high-calorie diet.

Treatment of viral pneumonia in children is aimed at the elimination of foci of the disease symptoms. With antibiotics the doctor prescribes.

• Mucolytic drugs to facilitate waste conversion.
• Antipyretics to improve the health of the child.

Getting Enough fluids will help to improve the child's condition. The drink should be plentiful and warm: clean water (non-carbonated), tea, juices, compotes. It is impossible to prevent dehydration and a high temperature, in addition, excessive drinking will contribute to waste sputum.

Should Not bring down the temperature, if it rose to the level of 37 degrees. The increase in temperature indicates that the body is actively fighting germs. To give the child antipyretics when the temperature is above 38. This advice does not apply to children under one year and those children who have until now had low-grade cramps.

Treatment with antibacterial drugs can last from seven to ten days. If there are any complications, therapy will be extended by a physician for a longer period.

Prevention of disease in children

It is believed that the disease is a consequence of a weakened immune system. For this reason, prevention of viral pneumonia in children includes activities for improving immunity. These include:

• Proper nutrition
• Compliance with the order of the day;
• Hardening;
• Vitamin complexes.

Parents must pay attention to the order of the day. If it is not met, the child goes to bed at different times, not timely and regularly nourished his growing body is under a lot of stress.

The Immune system of a child depends largely on the supply. The shortfall of vitamins and minerals reduces the protective functions and the body cannot resist diseases. The child's diet should contain fresh fruits and vegetables, a sufficient amount of meat and dairy products. For children under one year is very important in breastfeeding.

You Should dress your baby according to the weather, in any case not to let it get too cold or overheat.

The room where the baby should be regularly ventilated and wet cleaning, to monitor the cleanliness. Young children are very sensitive to the heat and dry air.

What illnesses should be treated, that they did not cause as complications of pneumonia?

It is crucial to treat respiratory diseases that can cause viral pneumonia. The diseases otnosjatsja:

• Gripp;
• ARVI;
• Engine;
• Tonzillit;
• Paringit;
• Bronchi;
• Gaymorit.

During outbreaks, parents should restrict the child from contact with sick children, to temporarily reduce visits to crowded places and to follow the personal hygiene of the child.

Wrapping up

Viral pneumonia in children is a disease that can lead to serious complications. Timely treatment to the doctor will help to diagnose and prescribe effective treatment. Self-medication and the use of traditional methods will only worsen the child's condition, in addition, will be lost time.

The Preventive measure is vaccination. But this measure is optional and is performed only by the decision of the parents.