Pneumonia

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs, which can be caused by viruses or by bacteria.

• Fever, sometimes with chills
• Coughing
• Occasional painful breathing
• Fast or difficulty in breathing in severe cases of pneumonia
• Abnormal patch (infiltrate) on chest X-ray

Expected Course

Only bacterial pneumonia is helped by antibiotics. As it is difficult to distinguish bacterial from viral pneumonia in all cases, antibiotics are sometimes prescribed for children who have viral pneumonia. With a course of appropriate antibiotics, the fever should settle within 48 to 72 hours from the start of the antibiotics. The coughing may take longer, up to 2 weeks, to resolve. However, severe cases of pneumonia will need to be admitted to hospital for injection antibiotics.

Discharge Instructions For Home Treatment

1. Antibiotics: You must complete the course of antibiotics as prescribed by your doctor.
2. Medicines for fever: Use paracetamol or ibuprofen for fever (>37.5°C). This can be repeated every 6 hours. If the fever is 39.5°C or more, you may use the paracetamol every 4 hourly, but only for 1 to 2 days, and subsequently reduced to every 6 hourly. Overdose of paracetamol may lead to liver damage.
3. Warm fluids for coughing spasms: Coughing spasms are often caused by sticky secretions in the back of the throat. Warm fluids usually relax the airway and loosen the secretions.
4. Follow-Up Appointments: Your child needs to be reviewed by a doctor either at the specialist clinic or by a general practitioner. Keep the appointment as given by your attending doctor.

Consult Your Doctor Immediately If:

• Your child is breathless.
• The fever is persistent beyond 2 to 3 days from start of antibiotics.
• Your child is lethargic.
• There is poor feeding.
• Your child is not retaining the oral antibiotics due to vomiting. In which case, he may need to be admitted to hospital for injection antibiotics, or a change of antibiotics by your doctor.
• Your child complains of chest pain.