The consequences of pneumonia in children. Doctor Komarovsky about pneumonia in children Pneumonia symptoms in children is it dangerous?

This is due to the anatomical features of the structure of the respiratory organs and reduced immunity. Pneumonia in young children should be treated only in a hospital setting.... This is due to the fact that there are often severe complications that worsen the patient's condition and complicate treatment. Complications of pneumonia in children can occur due to improper treatment or too low immunity.

Why is pneumonia in children dangerous?

Inflammation of the lungs in children is considered a dangerous disease. This is due to the fact that the child's fragile body is not able to fully fight the infection. If the child often suffers from respiratory diseases, then the situation is greatly aggravated. Against the background of weak immunity, pneumonia is often complicated, especially in children under 4 years of age.

The danger of pneumonia is that the inflamed respiratory organs cannot fully participate in the respiratory process. This leads to oxygen deficiency with all the ensuing consequences.

The deterioration of the condition of a sick child can become noticeable both during treatment and when the condition of the baby has already noticeably stabilized. Most often, this is observed if, at the slightest sign of improvement, the child stops receiving antibacterial drugs. Superinfection develops, which is resistant to many antibiotics and antimicrobial agents.

Treatment of pneumonia in young children should be carried out only in a hospital setting. This will avoid a number of serious complications.

Immediate complications

Pneumonia is dangerous because of its immediate complications. These include pathological conditions that arose in the first couple of days of the disease:

Malignant intoxication. With pneumonia, a huge amount of toxic decomposition products of bacteria are concentrated in the patient's blood. This leads to high fever and other symptoms of intoxication. It is very difficult to eliminate hyperthermia, the danger is that the heart suffers and there is a possibility of death.
Neurotoxicosis. This is a serious complication due to the action of toxins on the brain. The disease manifests itself with convulsions, respiratory arrest and other symptoms of brain damage. The temperature can rise over 40 degrees.

A child who has complications of pneumonia is placed in an intensive care unit or in intensive care. Such patients must be constantly monitored by doctors.

Delayed consequences

Complications of pneumonia can be delayed. In this case, the deterioration of the condition is observed after the transferred pneumonia, against the background of almost complete well-being:

The delayed consequences of pneumonia include multiple destruction. It is manifested by the formation of cavities in the lung tissue. With such a complication, a lot of sputum is released, up to a liter per day.

If any complications of pneumonia occur, the doctor carefully selects medications. Antibiotics of different drug groups are prescribed at the same time.

The most dangerous consequences

There are a number of complications of pneumonia that are often fatal. Such complications are observed with a late visit to the doctor or improperly prescribed treatment. The reason for such complications may be too low immunity:

With such complications, the patient is immediately hospitalized. If the condition is severe, resuscitation measures are taken. Further treatment depends on the patient's age, condition and diagnosis.

Other consequences of pneumonia in a child

Other consequences of pneumonia include a chronic inflammatory process, which leads to frequent relapses. In addition, pneumonia can be complicated by the following conditions:

Acute respiratory failure. This pathology is often observed in preschool children. It proceeds with shortness of breath and blue discoloration of the nasolabial triangle. Shortness of breath may be accompanied by dizziness and vomiting.
Heart disease. Heart problems often occur in children after pneumonia. There may be endocarditis or chronic insufficiency of blood flow.

Due to the transferred pneumonia, asthenic syndrome can also occur. It is manifested by general weakness, impaired appetite and sleep.

Meningitis can also become a complication of pneumonia in children. This is especially common in children under 3 years of age.

Diagnosis of complications

To diagnose complications of pneumonia, it is necessary to take into account not only the complaints of the sick child or his parents. A repeated X-ray is necessarily assigned, in case of complications, there will be a darkening area in the picture.

The patient needs to undergo a blood and urine test. With an acute inflammatory process in the blood, the ESR index and the level of leukocytes will increase.

For the timely recognition of complications, diuresis is monitored hourly. In addition, the work of important organs - the heart, brain and kidneys - is closely monitored. If there are signs of oxygen deficiency, the patient is connected to a ventilator.

How to prevent it all

The consequences of pneumonia in children are most often observed with an untimely visit to a doctor. Parents should remember that the more neglected the disease, the more likely complications are and the worse the prognosis for the patient.

To prevent dangerous consequences, you should consult a doctor with a severe cough and high fever in a child. Sometimes the common cold becomes the cause of such a malaise, but it is better to play it safe.

It is imperative to follow all doctor's recommendations... If a child for some reason is treated on an outpatient basis, all doctor's prescriptions should be strictly observed. It is unacceptable to stop taking antibiotics at the first sign of improvement.

It is important to strengthen the immunity of children. Mandatory should be morning exercises and a contrast shower. It is good if a child attends a sports section or dances, all this helps to increase the vitality of the body.

In addition to incorrect and delayed treatment, complications of pneumonia can be caused by the general condition of the body before the onset of the inflammatory process (chronic diseases, age, pregnancy). They are also provoked by the infection that caused pneumonia:

Pneumococcus;
staphylococcus;
streptococcus;
other pathogens are Afanasyev-Pfeiffer's bacillus, Chlamydophila pneumoniae, etc.

Other types of complications

Even with timely and correct treatment, there is a risk of negative consequences of pneumonia. These can be diseases of the circulatory system, muscles, sensory organs. Due to the harmful effects of microorganisms, a patient who has had pneumonia is at risk of developing endocarditis and bacteremia.

Endocarditis is an infection of the inner lining of the heart. After the body is damaged by bacteria and microorganisms, they enter the bloodstream, and from there - into the endocardium that covers the chambers of the heart. Symptoms of the disease are shortness of breath, regular dry cough, chest pains. Without timely treatment, an infectious lesion can develop into acute heart failure and provoke myocardial infarction.

Bacteremia is the entry into the blood of a large number of microorganisms due to pneumonia. It is not always easy to determine that a person has this condition, because the symptoms resemble the flu:

high body temperature (up to 39-40 degrees);
violent cough with thick mucus of green, gray-green and yellow;
septic shock - hypotension (low blood pressure), clouding of consciousness, oliguria (slowing down the formation of urine).

Bacteremia can be detected by examining the patient's blood. Treatment of the disease must be carried out immediately, otherwise the infection will spread to all vital organs - the liver, heart, spinal cord. The treatment uses antibiotics, immunostimulants and ultraviolet light.

Treatment of diseases in young children is a lengthy process in which the smallest details should not be overlooked. At the age of up to 3 years, the child's immunity is just being formed, and complications of pneumonia are quite common. They relate to the general condition of the body, sensory organs and the nervous system. In addition to complications that affect the body of adults, children may experience negative age-related changes. They are divided into pulmonary and extrapulmonary. The first type includes changes directly in the respiratory system, the second - deterioration in the work of other organs.

In children of early and school age, after pneumonia, complications in the respiratory process may occur - acute respiratory failure, pleurisy. Infections that cause pneumonia in a child often spread to the cardiovascular system and cause pericarditis, heart murmurs, and infectious toxic shock.

The first visible complication of the extrapulmonary type is a violation of the speech apparatus. Often, 1-1.5-year-old babies already begin to express their thoughts in words, but after suffering pneumonia, they stop talking at all, sometimes up to 4 years. The same disorders are observed in the musculoskeletal system of a 7-14 month old child. The main reason for such unpleasant "inhibitions" is insufficient blood circulation.

A complication of the child's nervous system after treatment for pneumonia is neurotoxicosis, which has several stages. The first is the child's sharp excitability, nervousness. The second stage is a sharp inhibition of reactions, in which the baby's appetite disappears, he does not react well to the appeal of adults to him. After this comes the final stage - the terminal, in which the child's body temperature rises sharply (up to 40 degrees), convulsions appear, and sometimes breathing disappears (the so-called apnea).

The consequences of pneumonia in a strong child's body are not so terrible as its improper treatment. Antibiotics are the main medicines that are used to relieve inflammation, if their type is incorrectly prescribed, then the child may have hearing problems, intestinal disorders caused by a change in the composition of the microflora.

Leaking in the lung tissue. Pathology is a dangerous disease in young children and adolescents. Babies under 1 year old find it difficult to tolerate the disease. Complications of pneumonia in children are common. The article presents the common consequences of this disease.

General information on complications

According to the WHO, every year about 15% of detected cases of the disease lead to death. An increased mortality rate is associated with negative factors: it can be either a lack of timely treatment or an incorrectly selected therapy. The causes of complications of pneumonia in children still include a poorly treated disease, as well as self-medication at home.

Among the likely consequences, specialists distinguish immediate and delayed symptoms. The first group includes the development of purulent complications in the pulmonary system and bronchi, neurotoxicosis or malignant intoxication of the body. These consequences develop in the lungs of children on the 2-3 day of the onset of an acute illness. All possible complications of pneumonia in children are described below.

Types of consequences

The appearance of severe complications of pneumonia in children occurs after the end of the acute stage of the disease. They lead to a deterioration in the child's condition. The consequences are divided into 2 types:

Pulmonary complications of pneumonia in children that cannot be transmitted to other organs. This group includes pleural empyema or pleural effusion.
Extrapulmonary complications of pneumonia in children that spread to other organs. These include heart failure, difficulty breathing, sepsis, abscess.

The same exact (pulmonary, extrapulmonary) complications arise in lobar pneumonia in children.

In the body of children, damage to the left side of the lung usually appears. A child is diagnosed with left-sided pneumonia, and an adult is diagnosed with a lesion of the right side of the lung. Pneumonia is especially dangerous in newborns. Usually, infection occurs during childbirth or in the first days of life.

Immediate complications

The main cause of such complications of pneumonia in children is incorrectly chosen or incomplete treatment. Immediate pathologies include:

Intoxication or Waterhouse-Friederiksen syndrome. It develops when endotoxins enter the bloodstream. Such toxic microorganisms lead to severe poisoning. The child's temperature rises to 39 degrees, it is difficult to bring it down. Other signs include lethargy, refusal to eat, exhaustion, and febrile fever. These signs can affect breathing, leading to complications. The dangerous consequences of this condition include death.
Neurotoxicosis. The features include the child's hyperactivity, which is replaced by a sharp apathy. There may be depression and lethargy. After a breakdown, the temperature rises to 40 degrees. Then the appearance of seizures is likely, there may be a short-term cessation of breathing.

Delayed impairment

These are complications of acute pneumonia in children. There is inflammation in the lung tissues caused by pathogenic microflora. Small children are hard to tolerate this condition. There is a risk of many serious consequences.

Late complications of acute pneumonia in children include:

Exudative pleurisy or fluid accumulation in the pleura. In the absence of treatment, a condition of "thoracic dropsy" appears. Symptoms in children include severe chest pain. It will be possible to fix the problem with a puncture or surgery.
Purulent pleurisy. Appears after a layer of secondary infection on the organ. There is a penetration of pathogenic organisms into the respiratory system and purulent inflammation appears. Symptoms include low body temperature, vomiting, and expectorant cough with pus.
Gangrene. Leads to rotting and decay of the lung. The complication appears when the form is running. In the lung, a focus is formed, filled with pus, and tissue melting is observed. This consequence manifests itself in the form of discharge of gray-green sputum, an unpleasant odor, swelling of the fingers and toes.
Lung abscess. One focus of inflammation appears in the organ. At stage 1, symptoms of intoxication, a rapid pulse, and shortness of breath are distinguished. It is rarely observed in children. Often appears in adults who abuse alcohol.
Multiple destruction. In this purulent-inflammatory process, cavities appear in the lung tissue. In comparison with an abscess, there are several foci and a strong secretion of sputum (up to 1 liter per day). The latter stands out with a "full mouth".
Lung edema. The reason is the accumulation of fluid in the lung tissue. With this complication, oxygen decreases and carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood, shortness of breath and cyanosis appear. The wheezing is moist and visible from a distance. When coughing, pink foam comes out of the mouth - this shade is associated with the penetration of red blood cells from the blood into the alveoli.

Respiratory failure

This is a complication of pneumonia in young children, often seen in preschoolers. It manifests itself in the form of shortness of breath, shallow breathing, or frequent inhalation / exhalation. In children, a change in the shade of the lips is observed, cyanosis occurs. Pathology is capable of proceeding in 3 stages. On the first one there is shortness of breath after light physical exertion, on the second - after a little more, on the third there is shortness of breath and vomiting in a calm state.

Heart disorders

After acute pneumonia in children, it is the most common complication. Disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system appear with various forms of the disease. If there is no treatment, these disorders lead to chronic insufficiency of blood flow or endocarditis.

The occurrence of signs is influenced by the degree of intoxication and dehydration of the body. In case of violations of the heart, it is likely that:

high blood pressure;
impaired blood circulation;
permeability of the walls of capillaries and membranes;
swelling and shortness of breath.

Other consequences

A dangerous consequence is sepsis or blood poisoning. The child develops bacteremia - the entry of microbes into the bloodstream. The causative agent of the disease causes the release of cykines by the cells of the immune system. The typical symptoms of sepsis are high body temperature, low blood pressure, disorientation of the child, impaired pulse and breathing, and a short loss of consciousness. With blood poisoning, peritonitis, septic arthritis, meningitis develop.

Another complication is pyopneumothorax. Appears after the breakthrough of an abscess into the pleura. An increase in the amount of air occurs in the cavity, a displacement of the anatomical space of the sternum is observed. Symptoms appear abruptly: pain, respiratory failure, respiratory failure. During treatment, urgent decompression (lowering of the fluid level) is required.

Cough and fever after illness

Cough after the disease is caused by objective reasons. After treatment, inflammation in the lungs remains small lesions that are not visible on X-rays after treatment. These parts can lead to coughing up within a few weeks. The cough is paroxysmal and usually occurs in the morning.

When the cough is persistent and strong, a visit to a doctor is required to prescribe treatment:

taking medications;
performing breathing exercises;
inhalations;
chest massage;
physiotherapy and warming up.

When the cough lasts more than 2 weeks, the child is prescribed expectorants and bronchodilators, mucolytics. These include "ACC", "Bronchoton". If a fever remains after the disease, then this may be a symptom of inflammation, which has not yet disappeared. With prolonged cough and fever, to eliminate the risk of negative consequences, an antibiogram is performed and a pulmonologist is consulted.

Disability with pneumonia

Complications of pneumonia are the basis for disability registration. If the child has 2 and 3 degrees of respiratory failure, disability opens. The reasons and conditions are found out during the examination from an immunologist.

Disability is established with a pronounced violation of the immune status, which is manifested by frequent pneumonia, as well as due to congenital pathologies of the bronchopulmonary system. To formalize this status, the chairman of the medical commission is given an immunogram and originals of extracts for the year. The decision is made on a medical and social examination.

Treatment

To exclude complications of pneumonia in children, clinical guidelines must be followed. But if they have already been identified, then treatment is required. The therapy is aimed at restoring the body of children. It is required to completely eliminate the residual effects, the scars in the pleural area should dissolve and the immune tone should be optimized. Recovery is performed using the following measures:

Resorbable drugs and biological activators are used, which can also be used for children.
Physiotherapeutic measures are performed.
Decoctions and herbal infusions are used, which have a regenerating function. They can be used after consulting a doctor, especially with a protracted form.
It is necessary to improve the condition of the intestinal flora after a course of antibiotics.
Vitamin therapy is needed.

It is permissible to use the aerotherapy method presented in the form of oxygen therapy through a nasal catheter. It is equipped in the lower nasal passage. In this case, the child will receive 25-35% of the required ratio of oxygen masses. The component needs to be shipped without interruption over a long period of time. Usually 2-10 hours, it depends on the severity of the disease.

During treatment, it is required to restore the patency of the airways. For this, mucolytics are used (agents that thin mucous secretions). To improve the circulation of the intravascular type, 2.4% aminophylline is used, which is administered intravenously in an amount of 0.1 ml / kg to children under 1 year of age. Then add 1 ml for each year of life. Helps "Xanthinol nicotinate" and inhalation of a warm-humid type.

Vaccination and prevention

There are drugs to perform prophylaxis or vaccines against infections that affect the likely consequences. At risk of opportunistic infections, the vaccine will help with a weak immune background.

After suffering an illness, it is important to control so that the child does not have an accumulation of sputum in the lungs. Adequate humidity must be maintained in the room, it is required to regularly ventilate the room. Drinking intensely leads to a thinning of mucus. After pneumonia, physiotherapy and treatment in sanatoriums are effective.

If there was pneumonia, you must be under the supervision of a pediatrician for 1 year. During recovery, you need to drink vitamins, be more in the fresh air. It is required to restore the intestinal microflora. For a certain period after the illness, it is necessary to prevent the child from contacting the patient with acute respiratory infections.

In order to prevent complications of pneumonia, you need to see a doctor if you have symptoms of a cold, SARS or a lingering cough. A timely detected disease is easier to cure than a neglected one. Recovery requires a healthy lifestyle. You need sports, rest, balanced nutrition. Infection control is considered an excellent preventive measure. All of these methods will eliminate complications in a short time.

Conclusion

Complications appear with incorrect or untimely treatment. If the first symptoms have arisen, do not delay the visit to the doctor. It is necessary to follow the recommendations of a specialist, and also not to self-medicate. Only with a responsible attitude to health will it be possible to avoid dangerous consequences.

Inflammation of the lungs is called pneumonia in medicine. It is an infection of one or both lungs at the same time, which is mainly caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.

In our time, pneumonia is still a dangerous and serious disease. According to statistics, 5% of patients cannot tolerate this ailment. In the Russian Federation, pneumonia is in 6th place in the ranking of fatal diseases. Inflammation of the lungs is especially dangerous for babies. Symptoms in children are much less noticeable than in adults, so the disease is always started to be eliminated later than necessary, and this complicates the treatment. This suggests that the treatment of this disease should be taken seriously, starting from the first stage.

The onset of an illness

There are cases when pneumonia is transmitted by viral droplets. This happens when the patient sneezes. Its secretions contain microorganisms and bacteria that contribute to the onset of an inflammatory process in the body of an absolutely healthy person. In other cases, pneumonia occurs due to the increased activity of bacteria that are constantly present in the throat and nose of a person. If the body's immune defense decreases, it is not able to resist these viruses, so they begin to multiply at a high rate and, getting into the lungs, cause inflammation.

Signs of ailment

The symptoms of pneumonia very often resemble those of the flu or the common cold. If the pneumonia is bacterial, the symptoms can appear both gradually and acutely. These include: fever, heavy sweating, chest pain, trembling, coughing up phlegm, cyanotic (discolored) nails and lips, rapid breathing, and rapid heart rate.

If pneumonia is viral, symptoms such as dry cough, fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, severe shortness of breath and fatigue are characteristic.

If pneumonia is caused by mycoplasmas, the symptoms are much weaker, but very similar to those of viral and bacterial pneumonia. One of the main symptoms is chest pain that appears when the patient tries to take a deep breath. Basically, such pain occurs at the location of the main focus of inflammation. Such a sign should definitely raise suspicion of pneumonia. Symptoms in children are slightly different and do not appear that way.

Cough is not an important symptom, as the infection can be located far from the respiratory tract.

In recent years, asymptomatic pneumonia has been increasingly observed. In this case, the person does not have a fever, there is no cough, and, therefore, sputum does not go away. This type of pneumonia is dangerous with large complications, since its treatment begins with a significant delay, since a person does not immediately notice pneumonia in himself. Symptoms in children are generally barely observed.

Symptoms in children

Often, small patients do not have the characteristic symptoms of pneumonia. The most noticeable signs are lethargy, fever, and loss of appetite. But attentive parents may suspect pneumonia in their child, having noticed some changes.

Temperature

There are few signs of pneumonia in children. But if the child has a body temperature of 37.5 to 38 degrees, does not get confused by any antipyretic drugs and at the same time there is sweating, weakness and lack of appetite, this may be the first reason to suspect pneumonia in the baby.

Breath

The baby's breathing increases significantly. Up to 2 months, the baby takes 60 breaths per minute, up to 1 year - 50 breaths, after 1 year - 40 breaths. Very often in this case, the child independently tries to lie on one side. According to statistics, most often there is a right-sided pneumonia in a child. In this case, the baby is increasingly trying to lie on the left, less painful side.

The rhythm of breathing can also be disrupted, there is a change in the frequency and depth of breathing. In infants, shortness of breath is manifested by nodding the head in time with breathing, and the child sometimes stretches his lips or puffs out his cheeks.

Atypical pneumonia

In this case, the signs of pneumonia in children appear a little differently. If pneumonia is caused by chlamydia or mycoplasma, the disease initially resembles a cold. There is a runny nose, sore throat and dry cough. But there is shortness of breath and a consistently high temperature, which should alert parents.

The nature of the cough

A sore throat causes a slight cough at first, but over time, the dry cough becomes excruciating. You may also notice an increase in coughing while feeding the baby or when he is crying. Then the cough becomes moist.

Baby behavior

Inflammation of the lungs can also be suspected by the child's behavior. Symptoms in children are mostly similar. The kid becomes lethargic, whiny, capricious. He sleeps badly and refuses to eat. In some cases, pneumonia can cause the baby to vomit or diarrhea. In infants, this is manifested by refusal of the breast and regurgitation of food.

Inflammation of the lungs without fever

With this type of pneumonia, the same symptoms are observed as with the usual course of the disease. Weakness and shortness of breath appear, sweating increases, a cough occurs, but there is no temperature reaction. Under what circumstances does this pneumonia occur? Symptoms without fever are usually seen when the immune system is lowered. This situation is also terrible in that the severity of the patient's condition can only be determined with additional diagnostics.

Pneumonia without fever most often occurs due to incomplete bronchitis, which then smoothly flows into pneumonia. This is due to the fact that the body is already saturated with a number of anti-inflammatory drugs, and cannot adequately respond to a newly flared infection.

Causes of pneumonia

In children, this disease most often develops as a result of a viral infection, for example, respiratory or adenoviral. Also, pneumonia can be provoked by a banal flu.

In addition, pneumonia is caused by bacteria. The main causative agents of pneumonia in a child are streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and staphylococci.

You can infect your lungs by inhaling bacteria and viruses that are constantly present in your baby's throat or nose. These viruses and bacteria can also be spread by airborne droplets, for example, when sneezing or coughing.

Risk factors

Four main factors can contribute to the onset of pneumonia:

1. Weakened immune system of the baby, which is observed in connection with improper or insufficient nutrition. Very often this applies to infants who do not receive breast milk as the main form of feeding. In this case, an imperceptible pneumonia may develop. Fever-free symptoms are often due to this factor.

2. Preceding diseases. They can be otitis media, bronchitis, as well as frequent ARVI.

3. Ecological environment. Such risk factors can be:

Polluted indoor air;

Overcrowded dwellings;

Smoky air in the room, etc.

4. Freezing. Very often pneumonia in children occurs due to hypothermia. Most of all, this concerns the freezing of the feet.

Bilateral pneumonia

Most often, bilateral pneumonia occurs in children, the elderly, or in patients whose health has been weakened by chronic ailments. The disease develops most often during staphylococcal pneumonia, but bilateral inflammation can also occur due to the patient being immobile. Bilateral pneumonia usually begins in people who have had a viral infection. The symptoms of this disease are high body temperature and shortness of breath, wet cough, headache and confusion.

Therapy

It should be remembered that pneumonia is a disease that cannot be treated on its own under any circumstances! To eliminate pneumonia, you will need the professionalism of the doctor, his experience, as well as the ability to correctly use modern antibacterial agents. Many patients who do not know how to treat pneumonia often rely on advertising media. It is absolutely impossible to do this! It must be remembered that such drugs do not affect the outcome of the disease, but only alleviate the symptoms.

It rarely happens that pneumonia goes away on its own, without treatment. But in most cases, pneumonia leads to such phenomena that can not only disrupt the patient's ability to work, but also put his life at risk. It should also be noted that in our time there are modern effective and safest antibiotics. This allows the doctor to prescribe a successful treatment for the patient at home, provided that the patient receives appropriate care. But if this is pneumonia in children, treatment is carried out only in a hospital under the constant supervision of an experienced specialist until complete recovery. This is due to the fact that childhood pneumonia is more difficult to treat, and it is also difficult to calculate the symptoms of the disease.

How to be treated?

If the pneumonia is mild, outpatient treatment (at home) is quite acceptable. But at the same time, the patient must unquestioningly follow the doctor's prescriptions in order to avoid complications, since the acute form of the disease, if improperly treated, can very quickly develop into a chronic one.

First of all, the observance of bed rest must be ensured throughout the entire period of intoxication and fever. As for medications, the main role is assigned to antibacterial drugs. An important point is that, taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient, the doctor prescribes to him exactly the antibiotic that is low-toxic and most active. The method and dose of drug administration into the body is also determined by the doctor, since he knows better how to treat pneumonia of a particular patient. For example, if pneumonia is mild, the patient is prescribed a drug for oral administration. In the event that the form of the disease is severe, the drug is administered intravenously or intramuscularly.

Except for drugs

In combination with medicines, other means can also be used, for example, mustard wraps, electrophoresis, ultraviolet irradiation, breathing exercises, etc. In addition, medical practice allows the use of phytotherapeutic agents. For example, an infusion of medicinal marshmallow root helps with a strong cough.

Diet plays an important role. The menu must contain sufficient fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The patient should also drink plenty of fluids - up to 3 liters per day. Most useful are vegetable, fruit and berry juices, as well as vitamin teas and cranberry juice.

It should be borne in mind that when taking antibiotics, intestinal function is disturbed, so the patient should eat foods such as prunes, kefir, boiled beets, rhubarb compote.

Consequences of pneumonia in children

We can say that timely treatment of pneumonia in children leaves no consequences. But there are situations when the disease begins to be treated, when it is already progressing. Under such circumstances, it is much more difficult to stop the process, therefore, various kinds of complications may appear. For example, pleurisy, pulmonary edema, or lung abscess.

Also, the inflammatory process in the lungs can affect neighboring organs. This threatens the appearance of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart), and in the most severe cases, it can lead to meningitis.

It should be remembered that a timely visit to a doctor provides the patient with adequate therapy. If a child or adult is properly cared for, pneumonia will not lead to serious complications. This suggests that if there is even the slightest suspicion of this ailment, you should not delay going to the doctor. This will help not only to cure the patient faster and more painlessly, but also save his life.

Editor

Anna Sandalova

Pulmonologist, doctor of the highest category

Although most of the children who have recovered from the disease lead a full-fledged lifestyle, not complaining about their health, the consequences of pneumonia can be very serious.

This is especially dangerous in cases where parents do not pay due attention to treatment and prevention, letting the disease take its course. In such a situation, there are frequent complications that can cause a number of associated pathologies.

Statistics: children who died of pneumonia

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the most common reasons is when a child died of pneumonia. Every year about 1.8 million children around the world, which is 18% of the total number of child deaths. There are no recent statistics for Russia. The greatest "losses" fall on the age of up to five years, a significant share falls on, that is, children under one year old.

Mortality statistics

Real complications arise if the parents reacted irresponsibly to the treatment of pneumonia, did not complete the course of taking antibiotics, or additionally “froze” the baby, further weakening his immunity.

Such consequences can pose a real threat to the child. Some of them are easily treated or recede over time, while others require long-term therapy without a guarantee of complete cure. Moreover you cannot fight most of them on your own, medical intervention is required. Is it dangerous or not to allow complications?

Below we will consider the complications to which pneumonia in a child can lead, what is dangerous for each of the forms. You will understand that it is better to treat pneumonia initially very responsibly.

Respiratory failure

It is expressed in a decrease in the functionality of the alveoli (vesicles in the lungs, which are responsible for saturating the blood with oxygen). It manifests itself in the form of severe shortness of breath, pallor. Sometimes cyanosis of the lips and shallow breathing are added. The disease occurs in three stages:

constant shortness of breath with small physical exertion;
severe shortness of breath without exertion, even during sleep;
nausea and vomiting are added to shortness of breath, the stage is protracted and difficult to treat.

The first stages are overcome, the third requires the intervention of a pediatrician.

Exudative pleurisy

It occurs with insufficiently effective treatment of pneumonia.

A large amount of fluid accumulates in the pleura (the membrane that surrounds the lungs). Because of this, there is increased pressure on the respiratory system. The child begins to choke, he does not have enough air.

Ignoring this complication often leads to an infectious contamination of this fluid. Purulent processes begin, blood poisoning is possible.

If the first stage of pleurisy can be eliminated by removing the fluid with a special needle, then an operation is required during infection. You need to be treated strictly in the hospital!

Heart failure

It occurs in severe forms of pneumonia.

Inflammation of the lungs is always an intoxication of the body and severe dehydration. All this puts a great strain on the heart and blood vessels, as a result of which their functioning is disrupted. If you ignore the complication, possible death due to cardiac arrest or pulmonary edema.

Pulmonary edema develops very quickly, the first symptoms appear 2-3 hours after heart failure: shortness of breath, vomiting, severe weakness, frothy discharge from the mouth, swelling of the face. When these signs appear, it is worth calling an ambulance.

Lung gangrene

Abscess (inflammation preceding gangrene) rarely occurs in children, but the condition must be monitored continuously - a complication that can lead to death. In the area of the lung, filled with purulent masses, a lesion occurs. The fabrics spread and "melt". Symptoms are typical:

unpleasant odor from phlegm and when breathing;
swelling of the fingers, less often on the feet;
vomiting, diarrhea;
severe weakness;
fainting is possible.

An abscess is stopped by injections of antibiotics, but the developed gangrene can only be eliminated by surgery, and the consequences of this complication will last for life.

Blood poisoning

Infectious inflammatory processes in the lungs can spread to other organs. In addition to the fact that sepsis can be fatal, the following diseases may develop:

peritonitis;
meningitis;
septic arthritis;
endocarditis.

It is possible that all these pathologies will come at the same time, then the treatment will become long and difficult, and the baby will undergo severe stress, which will invariably affect his psyche and health in the future. Symptoms of sepsis include:

low pressure;
moist and pale skin;
fainting;
tachycardia;
depressed state.

When these symptoms appear, you should immediately seek help, since infection develops very quickly.

Important! Pleurisy, blood poisoning and gangrene sometimes occur at the same time due to the spread of the infection throughout the body. If one of these complications is identified, it is worth checking the child for other diseases.

When is it forbidden to be treated at home?

As mentioned above, pneumonia can cause severe complications, which often lead to the death of babies. During treatment, constant monitoring is needed, which parents are not able to provide. It is possible to refuse from it only with mild forms of pneumonia and with the condition of a good sanitary condition of the apartment.

Pneumonia cannot be treated at home if:

the child has not reached the age of three;
the baby often suffers from colds (this indicates a weak immunity, the risk of complications is increased);
a severe course of pneumonia has developed;
there are signs of complications;
poor sanitary conditions;
the child has heart or kidney problems;
the baby is premature or has a birth injury.

In all these cases, constant medical supervision is required, refusal to hospitalize can lead to tragedy.

Useful video

We invite you to watch a report on infant mortality and complications of pneumonia:

Conclusion

Inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia) is always a difficult challenge for the child and his parents. Even worse, if the first signs of complications were missed. Do not be frivolous about pneumonia, it is an insidious and dangerous disease. The child's health is primarily in the hands of the parents. It depends on their attitude to treatment whether the child will be happy or whether a smile will appear on his lips less and less!