Pneumonia symptoms in children

Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
Updated on November 18, 2024
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Children presenting with pneumonia primarily exhibit symptoms related to respiratory infections, with fever often as a typical manifestation. Common symptoms include sudden chills, high fever, fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting, followed by an irritative dry cough. As the condition progresses, the dry cough turns into a productive cough with phlegm, accompanied by difficulty breathing, chest pain, and expectoration. Some may also show signs of oxygen deprivation such as cyanosis of the lips and changes in nail color. Active chest X-ray and routine blood tests are necessary for diagnosis.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu
Pulmonology
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What department does pneumonia go to?

What department should I go to for pneumonia? Pneumonia, as the name suggests, is a lung disease, which is to say it is a disease of our respiratory system. Therefore, the most appropriate department to visit would be the Department of Respiratory Medicine. If the patient's condition is relatively stable, they can visit the outpatient Respiratory Medicine department. Of course, there are a small number of patients whose condition is very critical, and in such cases, they must first visit the Department of Emergency Medicine. The doctors in Emergency Medicine will decide based on the patient's condition whether their next step should be to go to Respiratory Medicine, be admitted for in-hospital treatment, remain in the emergency for observation, or need to be admitted to the ICU for further emergency treatment.

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Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
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symptoms of pneumonia in children

Pneumonia is a particularly common infectious disease of the respiratory system. Children, due to decreased disease resistance and low immunity, are especially susceptible to upper respiratory and lung infections. The main clinical symptoms of childhood pneumonia are fever and cough. Additionally, children may experience loss of appetite and vomiting. When these symptoms occur, it is advisable to take the child to the hospital for an examination. The doctor can perform auscultation and collect routine blood tests to preliminarily determine the presence of an infection. If pneumonia is suspected, further imaging studies are recommended for a definitive diagnosis.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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Differential Diagnosis of Pediatric Pneumonia

Childhood pneumonia needs to be differentiated from other respiratory diseases such as bronchial foreign bodies, bronchial asthma, and pulmonary tuberculosis. A bronchial foreign body generally has a history of inhalation of foreign objects, sudden choking coughs, and a chest X-ray might indicate atelectasis or pulmonary emphysema. If the foreign body has been present for a long time, the disease course is prolonged and may lead to secondary infections, similar to pneumonia or concurrent with pneumonia. The differentiation of bronchial foreign body involves detailed medical history inquiries to check for inhaled foreign objects, then using symptoms and auxiliary examinations like chest X-rays for confirmation. Bronchial asthma, especially in children, might not always present with obvious wheezing attacks but rather persistent coughing. The X-ray might show increased and disordered lung markings and pulmonary emphysema, which can easily be confused with pneumonia. Typically, children with bronchial asthma have an allergic constitution and generally require pulmonary function tests and other auxiliary examinations to differentiate from pneumonia. Pulmonary tuberculosis generally occurs in those with a history of contact with tuberculosis patients. Their tuberculin skin test is positive, and X-rays may show features of tuberculosis lesions in the lungs, which can be used to differentiate from pneumonia.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Can pneumonia recur?

Can pneumonia recur? It should be decided based on an individual's constitution. If one has normal immunity and a good constitution, generally, it will not recur after recovery. If one is frail or has low immunity, there is also a certain chance of recurrence clinically. Therefore, it is important to timely adjust the constitution and enhance immunity. One should drink more water, quit smoking and alcohol, avoid exposure to smoke, dust, second-hand smoke, and irritating chemicals, and do more aerobic and endurance exercises. This can help improve the body's immune capabilities and aid in disease recovery.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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How is pneumonia treated?

Pneumonia is a common disease in clinical practice, with patients often experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough, and expectoration. If a lung X-ray is taken, shadows can be seen in the lungs. The treatment of pneumonia primarily involves addressing the cause. For instance, if it is bacterial, appropriate sensitive antibiotics are chosen for treatment. If it is caused by a virus, suitable antiviral drugs are selected, and for fungal pneumonia, antifungal drugs should be chosen. If it is related to allergies, anti-allergy medications should be used. Additionally, symptomatic treatment is applied, such as antipyretics for fever. Depending on the situation, medications for cough suppression, phlegm reduction, and asthma relief may also be used. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)