Pneumonia is a respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The disease can be serious or mild, and it is prevalent in children who are younger than 5 years.
Pneumonia is mostly caused by viruses, fungi or bacteria. Some of these pathogens are spread through direct contact with a person who is already infected.
Your lungs comprise of small sacs of air known as alveoli. During breathing, the alveoli get filled with air. When infected with pneumonia, pus and fluid fill the alveoli. In effect, this makes breathing painful and it can also limit your oxygen limit.
According to World Health Organization, pneumonia is currently the the leading killer of children under 5 years.
Although notable strides have been made towards reducing child mortality related to this illness, it still accounts for one-fifths of deaths globally.
To reduce the chances of children getting pneumonia, children should not be exposed to second hand tobacco smoke.
Also, research has shown that with simple interventions such as timely treatment and administering the right medications, pneumonia can be greatly reduced in children under the age of 5 years.
The most common bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia include:
- Group B Streptococcus
- Mycoplasma pneumonia
- Streptococcus pneumoniae
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Parainfluenza virus
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Adenovirus
- Influenza virus
Symptoms of pneumonia may differ from one child to another. However, some of the common symptoms include:
- Cough pain
- Cough that produces mucus
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Tiredness
- Chills
- Headache
- Fast breathing
It is important to contact your doctor right away for a thorough diagnosis if your child is showing any of these symptoms.
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