Pneumonia being the single largest infectious cause of death in children worldwide is an infection in the lungs that is usually caused by a virus or bacteria.
If a child has been diagnosed with mild pneumonia, you can usually care for them at home. These following tips can be of help to you.
• The child who has pneumonia will need a lot of rest
• It is crucial to give your child fluids often to prevent dehydration. Offer small sips of water to children and breast milk or formula to babies more often
• Most kids refuse to eat when they have pneumonia. This is not much of a problem, as long as they are drinking fluids
• Follow the doctor/pharmacist’s instructions for giving antibiotics if they have been prescribed
• It may be comfortable for older children to sleep propped up on a couple of pillows, rather than laying completely flat
• If your kid has chest pains or a fever and is feeling miserable, they may need some analgesics such as paracetamol or ibuprofen. Never give aspirin to kids. Always consult your doctor/pharmacist before giving your child any drug
• Do not give cough medicines. They do not help kids with pneumonia
• Do not allow anybody to smoke in the home or around your kid
You should go back to see your physician I’d your child has pneumonia and:
• Their breathing becomes more hard, or they develop a grunt when they breathe
• They become drowsy or sleepy, or hard to wake
• They begin vomiting and are not able to drink much
• Or you are just worried about your child at any stage during the illness
More Information on Immunization
It is recommended that children be vaccinated with the PVC 13 vaccine. It helps prevent pneumonia from developing in children 2years old and younger. The '13’ in the PVC 13 vaccine means it defends children against 13 variations of the pneumococcal disease.
Children can start receiving doses of the vaccine when they are 2months old and after that, they should receive booster shots periodically until they turn 15months old.
It only takes one dose of the vaccine to immunize children between age 2 and 5 who have not previously received the vaccine. The same goes for kids aged 2 to 18 who have certain medical conditions and have never gotten a PVC vaccination.
The Pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPV 23) pneumonia vaccine is also recommended for children between the ages of 2 and 5 who have a higher risk of developing pneumonia, including those who have;
• Heart disease
• Lung disease
• Kidney disease
• Sickle cell anemia
• HIV
• Received an organ transplant .
Dr. Favvy
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