Symptoms of pneumonia in infants

Written by Yang Feng
Pulmonology
Updated on October 28, 2024
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Pneumonia is a particularly common infectious disease of the respiratory system. In infants and young children with pneumonia, the main clinical symptoms include fever, crying, vomiting, and so forth. Since infants cannot express their discomfort, it is difficult to make a diagnosis. However, when a patient presents with fever, we first need to consider the possibility of a lung infection. We can determine whether there is an infection of the lungs through listening to the chest, routine blood tests, imaging examinations, etc., and then treat the pneumonia with effective anti-inflammatory therapy.

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The difference between Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia

Mycoplasma pneumonia and Chlamydia pneumonia are clinically similar, making them difficult to distinguish from each other as both have similar symptoms and treatment options. Treatments such as erythromycin and quinolones can be used for both. The main difference between them lies in the laboratory tests. If tests for pneumonia, Mycoplasma antibodies or antigens are positive, then it is diagnosed as Mycoplasma pneumonia. If tests for Chlamydia pneumonia antibodies are positive, or if a throat swab test detects Chlamydia, then it is diagnosed as Chlamydia pneumonia.

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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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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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The function of the pneumonia vaccine

Pneumonia vaccines are generally aimed at preventing infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae. There are two common types of vaccines: the 23-valent polysaccharide vaccine, which is suitable for high-risk populations over two years old, and the 7-valent or 13-valent conjugate vaccines, which are mainly used for vaccinating infants under two years of age. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common and widespread bacterium causing pneumonia, and pneumonia caused by this bacterium is also the most prevalent worldwide. It is also the most significant pathogen in community-acquired pneumonia in children and a major cause of otitis media, meningitis, and bacteremia in children. The pneumonia vaccines mainly target common serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae, such as the 7-valent or 13-valent, designed to prevent infections from seven or thirteen serotypes, respectively, while the 23-valent vaccine aims to prevent infections from 23 serotypes. These pneumonia vaccines play a significant protective role in preventing infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, however, they cannot prevent all cases of pneumonia.

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Symptoms of pneumonia cough in children

Pneumonia in infants commonly occurs in young children, especially those under two years of age. The onset of the disease is usually rapid, starting with symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections that gradually evolve into more pronounced respiratory symptoms. The cough is frequent, initially a dry, irritating cough, that progressively worsens as the disease advances. In cases of severe pneumonia, the cough may actually lessen. During the recovery phase, the cough gradually diminishes and rattling sounds can be heard in the throat due to mucus. After the mucus is cleared, there may still be occasional bouts of irritating dry cough, which will slowly subside.