Signs of pneumonia in an adult

What are the signs of pneumonia?

Answers:

Alain M

Signs of pneumonia are often manifested in the course of active development of the disease. At the initial stage of the disease, the symptoms can be either in acute respiratory infections or viral infections. It is very dangerous that pneumonia results from catarrhal diseases, especially when the disease is not treated, transferred on legs or even started on "maybe will pass." Symptoms of pneumonia in adults that are observed in the first week of the disease: cough, fever, general malaise, apathy. Such signs are characteristic for any catarrhal disease and even with weakening of immunity. But when they are all together - this is the first "call" for the development of a serious disease and it often happens that this disease is pneumonia. At an early stage of the disease, the temperature rises to 3, - 38 degrees, especially in the evening and normalizes in the morning. If a patient has strong immunity, then the disease at this stage can last for a couple of weeks, and this is sometimes misleading. When the patient has a fever that lasts for 5-7 days, you should consult your doctor. Cough usually early in the dry, sometimes traced in the throat. The patient feels broken, apathy appears. Pneumonia can develop for a long time without significant signs, but with obvious signs of gradual deterioration in the body. The temperature can rise to 39-40 degrees. The cough is worse, it becomes suppressant, sputum is secreted and bloody discharge appears during expectoration. The patient begins dyspnea, pain in the chest, difficulty breathing, constantly pierces the headaches. Symptoms of the disease in adults are much easier to detect than in children and even treatment of severe complications gives positive results. Inflammation of the lungs requires the intervention of a specialist, since inflammatory processes with a properly selected treatment are rapid.

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Alexeev Valery

The main feature is two. Auscultatory weakening of breath over a certain zone and the presence of crepitus. X-ray - the appearance of shading over the area where breathing is weakened during auscultation and there is this very crepitation. All other signs are atypical and secondary.

Olenka

heat... up to 40 I was so was, lying in delirium, it was hard to breathe ...

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults

Do not underestimate the common cold, because an untreated infection can lead to the development of pulmonary inflammation, i.e. pneumonia. This is a more serious disease, even fatal. Having found out signs of a pneumonia at the adult, the last it is necessary to address to the doctor. This is necessary because the inflammation can have not only a pronounced, but also a hidden character. The instructions below will help to recognize what pneumonia is and what symptoms it indicates.

The first symptoms of pneumonia in an adult

Pneumonia, depending on the type of pathogen and the nature of the flow is divided into several types:

  • acute or chronic;
  • virus;
  • fungal;
  • radical;
  • croup or pleuropneumonia;
  • bronchopneumonia;
  • aspiration;
  • bilateral or one-sided.

There are several types of pneumonia, but they have common symptoms:

  1. Persistent cough. First dry, and with the development of the disease wet with pus and mucous sputum yellow-green hue.
  2. The duration of the cold is more than a week. Viral disease not only does not pass, but is characterized by deterioration.
  3. Repeated increase in body temperature after period of improvement.
  4. Absence of a positive effect of antipyretic drugs.
  5. Painful sensations when coughing in the chest and back, shortness of breath, pale skin.
  6. General malaise, excessive sweating, lack of appetite.

Bronchopneumonia

A distinctive feature of bronchopneumonia is its foci, i.e. the disease affects many small areas of the pulmonary lobules. More often it occurs as a result of complications of bronchitis, when the virus descends lower in the respiratory system. A large number of lesions makes it difficult to diagnose and treat such a form of pneumonia, therefore it is characterized by frequent relapses. Signs of focal pneumonia in adult women and men look like this:

  • chills, intense fever;
  • cough dry, with abundant phlegm or even with bloody discharge;
  • quickening of breathing;
  • internal rales;
  • increase in temperature up to 39 ° С;
  • lack of appetite;
  • pale skin;
  • sleep disorders;
  • cramps of the lower part of the legs;
  • lack of air;
  • pain with deep breath and cough.

Hidden pneumonia

Pneumonia of the lungs may not manifest symptoms. This is a particularly severe, latent form of infection caused by chlamydia or mycoplasmas, i.e. Atypical for common inflammation it is difficult to determine, because the nature of the course of the disease is often asymptomatic and sluggish, but doctors can notice signs of atypical pneumonia in adult:

  • intermittent breathing with whistles;
  • the appearance of sweat on the forehead, even with minor loads;
  • the blush on the cheeks stains;
  • dyspnea;
  • a constant thirst;
  • increased heart rate;
  • difficult breathing;
  • general malaise;
  • one half of the chest remains immobile during breathing.

Two-sided

What is the risk of bilateral pneumonia? The lesions are extensive and located in both lungs, which causes oxygen starvation of the body, because healthy departments can not cope. In addition, the following signs of viral pneumonia are noted:

  • heat;
  • weakness of the body, low appetite;
  • lack of air;
  • blanching of the skin;
  • blue lips and fingertips;
  • impaired consciousness;
  • dry or wet cough;
  • hard breath.

Grybkovoy

Another dangerous form of pneumonia is fungal. With her, too, there are difficulties in diagnosis, because the clinical picture is poorly due to the specificity of the fungus - the causative agent of the disease. This leads to the fact that the potential patient does not even know about his disease. A person can get infected while in a room where there is damp and there is mold.

First there are signs characteristic of usual pneumonia in the form of dyspnea, heavy breathing, malaise and high fever. Then they are joined by a cough with purulent discharge as a result of rupture of inflammations formed by microorganisms. Complications of pneumonia of the fungal form are more often presented in the form of pleurisy due to the ingress of pus into the pleural cavity.

Pleuropneumonia

This form of infectious disease is also called croupous. Pleuropneumonia often affects up to 2-3 lobes of the lung and necessarily draws into its process the membrane - the pleura. The following are the first symptoms of infection:

  • the temperature rises to 40 ° C;
  • there is a strong chill and a headache;
  • when breathing, there is pain in the chest;
  • breathing becomes superficial because of pain.

With the development of the eye the patient's eyes become shiny, the lips acquire a bright cherry color, a blush appears on the side of the pneumonia. Herpes sores can form on the neck. After the appearance of a cough, rusty sputum begins to disappear the next day, sometimes vomiting occurs. After another day, there is such shortness of breath that the patient is unable to rise even to the floor.

Aspiration

This kind of pneumonia develops when fluids get into the lungs, vomit or food. As you can see in the photo, the foreign body is determined by x-ray. The following features are distinguished by the aspiration form:

  • cough with discharge of unpleasant smelling mucus with impurities of pus and blood;
  • feverish condition;
  • pain in the chest;
  • constant shortness of breath;
  • blue skin;
  • increased sweating;
  • difficulty in swallowing.

The main symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia is an insidious disease that can go on without pronounced symptoms. The danger is that a person connects the ailment with overstrain at work or with other factors, and therefore does not hurry to see a doctor. For this reason, complications often occur or the disease becomes chronic, which complicates both diagnosis and treatment.

Without temperature

The latent form of pneumonia in an adult without a cough and other characteristic symptoms is one of the most dangerous. The patient does not notice signs, and therefore delays with the necessary treatment. Symptoms of pneumonia in an adult without fever are presented in the following list:

  • constant weakness and tendency to sleep;
  • tired look with a painful blush;
  • hard, wheezing;
  • the appearance of dyspnea with light loads;
  • violation of the heart rate, increased heart rate;
  • increased sweating, especially at night;
  • lack of normal appetite.

Chronic pneumonia

Any untreated disease flows into a chronic form. This also applies to pneumonia. When there is at least one focus of inflammation in the lungs, it can cause chronic pneumonia. Such a process is dangerous because it can lead to cardiovascular failure. Characteristic chronic signs of pneumonia in adults are as follows:

  • hard breath;
  • cough with phlegm, sometimes including pus;
  • rapid pulse;
  • dyspnea;
  • general malaise of the body;
  • lack of appetite;
  • weight loss;
  • during periods of relapse - cough, fever.

Video about the symptoms and treatment of pneumonia

Having found out at itself signs of a pneumonia, it is necessary to address immediately to the doctor. Only he will be able to determine the form, the nature of the course of the disease and will prescribe the right therapy. To know what changes in the body indicate pneumonia, look at the video below, from which you will understand both the symptoms and the treatment of pneumonia.

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Symptoms of pneumonia in an adult

Pneumonia (pneumonia) is a very serious disease, ignoring its signs in any case impossible, because the consequences can be unpredictable. Doctors still can not accurately answer the question of why infection in some people stops in the upper respiratory tract, while in others it moves deeper and attacks the lungs. But one expert can state with full confidence - pneumonia develops only when the immunity is already weakened by some other disease.

Symptoms of pneumonia in an adult appear somewhat differently than in a child. In general, they depend on the severity of the disease and on the type of infectious agent that caused them.

Causes and Symptoms of Pneumonia

In an adult, pneumococcus is the most common disease. Having penetrated into the bronchi and the alveoli, they generate an inflammatory process there. When the fluid component enters the alveoli from the walls of the vessels, the respiratory difficulty appears in the diseased person. Against this background, the body develops oxygen starvation, because the affected part of the lung becomes dysfunctional. To strengthen the influx to the tissues of the blood, the heart begins to actively contract. All these processes lead to the appearance of the first symptoms of pneumonia in an adult: a sharp rise in temperature, chest pain, a cough with a separation of reddish sputum.

In the case when the inflammatory process is caused by other infectious agents: mycoplasma, legionella, chlamydia - the symptomatology will be similar, but this inflammation proceeds somewhat easier. So, the symptoms of pneumonia in an adult in the case when it is stimulated by mycoplasmas, will manifest chills, sore throat, runny nose (optional), fever, dyspnea, resulting in pain in breasts. If the development of the disease occurred as a result of the effects of chlamydia, the first signs of a disease will be similar to those that occur with colds: dry cough, sore throat, runny nose, temperature increase. If the pathogen is Legionella, the symptoms, other than those listed above, will be supplemented by loss of appetite, diarrhea.

Common Symptoms of Pneumonia

Regardless of the type of pathogen, the first signs of the disease are most often the same. This is an obsessive dry cough, over time moisturizing, an increase in temperature (it can vary between 37-40 degrees). In severe pneumonia, the skin becomes a pronounced bluish tinge, breathing becomes quicker.

Such symptoms are completely nonspecific, so even doctors sometimes confuse the disease with ARVI. And only when the temperature reaches high values, dyspnea appears, leukocytosis is noted, pneumonia is diagnosed. To confirm suspicions, carry out radiography.

How to treat pneumonia in adults

Ill be hospitalized. He is assigned bed rest, frequent intake of warm liquids, high-calorie meals. The main method of treatment - antibacterial therapy (the drug is selected for each patient individually, depending on many features). If necessary, it can be supplemented by the use of immunostimulants, expectorants, antihistamines, etc. In the case of delayed treatment, complications of pneumonia in adults can lead to death.

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Pneumonia in a child - symptoms, treatment, causes


Inflammation of the lungs or pneumonia is one of the most common acute infectious and inflammatory diseases of a person. Moreover, the concept of pneumonia does not include various allergic and vascular lung diseases, bronchitis, and also pulmonary function disorders, caused by chemical or physical factors (injuries, chemical burns).

Especially often there are pneumonia in children, the symptoms and signs of which are reliably determined only on the basis of X-ray data and a general blood test. Pneumonia among all pulmonary pathologies in young children is almost 80%. Even with the introduction of progressive technologies in medicine - the discovery of antibiotics, improved methods of diagnosis and treatment - until now this disease is among the top ten most frequent causes of death. According to statistics in various regions of our country, the incidence of pneumonia in children is, %.

When and why can a child develop pneumonia?

Lungs in the human body perform several important functions. The main function of the lungs is the gas exchange between the alveoli and the capillaries, which envelop them. Simply put, oxygen from the air in the alveolus is transported to the blood, and from the blood carbon dioxide enters the alveolus. They also regulate body temperature, regulate blood coagulability, are one of the filters in the body, contribute to the purification, removal of toxins, disintegration products arising from various traumas, infectious inflammatory processes.

And when food poisoning, a burn, a fracture, surgical interventions occur, in case of any serious injury or disease, there is a general decrease in immunity, it is easy to cope with the filtration load toxins. That is why very often after a child has suffered or is suffering from injuries or poisonings, pneumonia occurs.

The most common pathogens are pathogens - pneumococci, streptococci and staphylococci, and recently cases of lung inflammation from such pathogens as pathogenic fungi, legionella (usually after staying at airports with artificial ventilation), mycoplasma, chlamydia, which are not often mixed, associated.

Pneumonia in a child, as an independent disease that occurs after a serious, strong, prolonged hypothermia, it is extremely rare, as parents try not to allow such situations. As a rule, in most children, pneumonia occurs not as a primary disease, but as a complication after an acute respiratory viral infection or influenza, less often other diseases. Why is this happening?

Many of us believe that acute viral respiratory diseases in the last decades have become more aggressive, dangerous their complications. Perhaps this is due to the fact that both viruses and infections have become more resistant to antibiotics and antiviral drugs, so they are so hard for children and cause complications.

One of the factors contributing to the increase in the incidence of pneumonia in children in recent years has been the overall poor health in the younger generation - how many children are born with congenital pathologies, malformations, lesions of the central nervous system. Especially severe pneumonia occurs in premature or newborn babies, when the disease develops against the background of intrauterine infection with insufficiently formed, not mature respiratory system.

In congenital pneumonia, the herpes simplex virus, cytomegalovirus, mycoplasmas are not infrequently causative agents, and with infection during labor, chlamydia, group B streptococci, opportunistic fungi, E. coli, Klebsiella, anaerobic flora, when infected with hospital infections, pneumonia begins on day 6 or 2 weeks after birth.

Naturally, pneumonia often happens in cold weather, when the organism is subjected to seasonal adjustment from heat to cold and vice versa, there are overloads for immunity, at this time there is a lack of natural vitamins in foods, temperature changes, damp, frosty, windy weather contribute to children's hypothermia and their infection.

In addition, if a child suffers from any chronic diseases - tonsillitis, adenoids in children, sinusitis, dystrophy, rickets (see. rickets in infants), cardiovascular disease, any severe chronic pathologies, such as congenital lesions central nervous system, malformations, immunodeficiency states - significantly increase the risk of developing pneumonia, weighed down its course.

The severity of the disease depends on:

  • Extensibility of the process (focal, focal, draining, segmental, lobar, interstitial pneumonia).
  • The child's age, the younger the baby, the narrower the airways, the less intense gas exchange in the child's body and the heavier the course of pneumonia.
  • Places where and for what reason there was a pneumonia:
    - community-acquired: most often have an easier flow
    - hospital: more severe, because it is possible to infect bacteria resistant to antibiotics
    - Aspiration: when inhaled foreign objects, mixture or milk.
  • The most important role in this is played by the general health of the child, that is, his immunity.

Improper treatment of influenza and ARVI can lead to pneumonia in the child

When a child falls ill with an ordinary cold, SARS, influenza - the inflammatory process is localized only in the nasopharynx, trachea and larynx. With a weak immune response, and also if the causative agent is very active and aggressive, and the treatment in the child is carried out incorrectly, the process of reproduction of bacteria descends from the upper respiratory tract to the bronchi, then bronchitis. Further, the inflammation can affect the lung tissue, causing pneumonia.

What happens in the body of a child in a viral disease? Most adults and children in the nasopharynx always have different opportunistic microorganisms - streptococci, staphylococci, without causing harm to health, because local immunity holds them back growth.

However, any acute respiratory disease leads to their active reproduction and with the correct action of the parents during the illness of the child, immunity does not allow their intensive growth.

What should not be done during ARVI in the child, so as not to cause complications:

  • You can not use antitussives. Coughing is a natural reflex that helps the body to clear the trachea, bronchi and lungs from mucus, bacteria, toxins. If for the treatment of a child, in order to reduce the intensity of dry cough, use antitussives that affect the cough center in the brain, such as Stoptosin, Broncholitin, Libexin, Paxeladin, then sputum and bacteria may accumulate in the lower respiratory tract, which ultimately leads to inflammation lungs.
  • It is not possible to conduct any preventive therapy with antibiotics for colds, with a viral infection (see. antibiotics for colds). Against the virus, antibiotics are powerless, and with opportunistic bacteria immunity should cope, and only when complications arise according to the doctor's appointment is shown their use.
  • The same applies to the use of various nasal vasoconstrictors, their use contributes to a faster penetration of the virus into the lower respiratory tract; therefore, galazoline, naphthysine, sanorin should not be used in case of a viral infection safely.
  • Abundant drink - one of the most effective methods of removing intoxication, dilution of sputum and rapid cleansing respiratory tract is an abundant drink, even if the child refuses to drink, parents should be very persistent. If you do not insist that the child drink enough fluids, in addition, the room will have dry air - this will help to dry the mucosa, which can lead to a longer course of the disease or complication - bronchitis or pneumonia.
  • Permanent ventilation, lack of carpets and carpeting, daily wet cleaning of the room in which the child is, Humidification and air purification with the help of a humidifier and an air cleaner will help to cope faster with the virus and prevent development pneumonia. As clean, cool, moist air helps to dissolve sputum, quickly remove toxins with sweat, cough, wet breath, which allows the child to recover faster.

Acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis - differences from pneumonia

With SARS usually the following symptoms:

  • High temperature in the first 2-3 days of the disease (see Fig. antipyretics for children)
  • Headache, chills, intoxication, weakness
  • Qatar upper respiratory tract, runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat (it does not always happen).

In acute bronchitis with Orvy, the following symptoms may occur:

  • Minor increase in body temperature, usually up to 38C.
  • First the cough is dry, then it becomes wet, there is no shortness of breath, unlike pneumonia.
  • Breathing becomes hard, on different sides there are variously scattered rales that change or disappear after coughing.
  • On the roentgenogram, the intensification of the pulmonary pattern is determined, the structure of the roots of the lungs decreases.
  • There are no local changes in the lungs.

Bronchiolitis occurs most often in children up to a year:

  • The difference between bronchiolitis and pneumonia can be determined only by X-ray examination, based on the absence of local changes in the lungs. According to the clinical picture, the acute symptoms of intoxication and the increase in respiratory insufficiency, the appearance of dyspnoea - very much resemble pneumonia.
  • In bronchiolitis, the breathing in a child is weakened, shortness of breath with the help of an auxiliary musculature, nasolabial the triangle becomes a bluish hue, a common cyanosis is possible, a pronounced pulmonary-cardiac failure. When listening to a boxed sound is detected, the mass of scattered small bubbling rales.

Signs of pneumonia in the child

With a high activity of the causative agent of the infection, or with a weak immune response of the body to it, when even the most effective preventive medical measures do not stop inflammatory process and the child's condition worsens, parents can for some symptoms guess that the child needs more serious treatment and urgent examination doctor. In this case, in no case should not begin treatment by any popular method. If it really is pneumonia, it will not only not help, but the condition may worsen and time for adequate examination and treatment will be missed.

Symptoms of pneumonia in a child 2 - 3 years and older

How to identify attentive parents with a cold or viral illness that it is necessary to urgently call a doctor and suspect a pneumonia in the child? Symptoms that require an X-ray diagnosis:

  • After Orvi, influenza within 3-5 days there is no improvement or after a slight improvement again there is a temperature jump and increased intoxication, coughing.
  • Lack of appetite, sluggishness of the child, sleep disturbance, capriciousness persist within a week after the onset of the illness.
  • The main symptom of the disease remains a strong cough.
  • The body temperature is not high, but the baby has shortness of breath. In this case, the number of breaths per minute in a child increases, the rate of breaths per minute in children aged 1-3 years 25-30 breaths, children 4-6 years - a rate of 25 breaths per minute, if the child is in a relaxed calm condition. With pneumonia, the number of breaths becomes larger than these figures.
  • With the other symptoms of a viral infection - cough, temperature, cold, severe pallor of the skin is observed.
  • If the temperature is high for more than 4 days and antipyretic agents such as Paracetamol, Efferalgan, Panadol, Tylenol are not effective.

Symptoms of pneumonia in infants, children under one year of age

The onset of the disease can be noticed by the mom by changing the behavior of the baby. If the child constantly wants to sleep, become sluggish, apathetic or vice versa, a lot of naughty, crying, refuses to eat, while the temperature may slightly increase - mom should urgently turn to pediatrician.

Body temperature

In the first year of life, pneumonia in a child, a symptom which is considered to be high, not knocked down temperature, is different in that at this age it is not high, does not reach 3, or even 3, -3,. The temperature is not an indication of the severity of the state.

The first symptoms of pneumonia in an infant

This causeless anxiety, lethargy, decreased appetite, the baby refuses from the breast, the sleep becomes restless, short, there is a loose stool, there may be vomiting or regurgitation, a runny nose and a paroxysmal cough that worsens during crying or feeding child.

Child's breathing

Pain in the chest with breathing and coughing.
Sputum - with a damp cough, purulent or mucopurulent sputum (yellow or green) is secreted.
Shortness of breath or an increase in the number of respiratory movements in young children is a clear sign of pneumonia in a child. Dyspnoea in babies can be accompanied by nodding to the breath, as well as the baby blows his cheeks and extends his lips, sometimes there are foamy discharge from the mouth and nose. The symptom of pneumonia is considered to be the excess of the number of breaths per minute:

  • In children up to 2 months - the norm is up to 50 breaths per minute, more than 60 is considered a high frequency.
  • In children, after 2 months to a year, the norm is 25-40 breaths, if 50 or more, this is an excess of the norm.
  • In children older than one year, the number of breaths more than 40 is considered a shortness of breath.

The skin relief during breathing changes. Attentive parents can also notice the retraction of the skin during breathing, more often on one side of the patient's lung. To notice this, it is necessary to undress the baby and observe the skin between the ribs, it retracts when breathing.

With extensive lesions, there may be a lag of one side of the lung with deep breathing. Sometimes you can notice periodic stopping of breathing, disturbance of rhythm, depth, breathing frequency and the child's desire to lie on one side.

Cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle

This is the most important symptom of pneumonia, when the blue skin appears between the lips and the spout of the baby. Especially this sign is pronounced when the child sucks the breast. With severe respiratory failure, a slight blueing can be not only on the face, but also on the body.

Chlamydia, mycoplasmal pneumonia in children

Among the pneumonias, the causative agents of which are not banal bacteria, but various atypical representatives secrete mycoplasmal and chlamydial pneumonia. In children, the symptoms of such pneumonia are slightly different from the course of the usual pneumonia. Sometimes they are characterized by a hidden sluggish current. Symptoms of SARS in a child can be as follows:

  • The onset of the disease is characterized by a sharp rise in body temperature to 3, C, then a stable subfebrile temperature of -3, -3 is formed, or even a temperature normalization occurs.
  • It is also possible the onset of the disease with the usual signs of ARVI - sneezing, choking in the throat, a bad cold.
  • Persistent dry debilitating cough, shortness of breath may not be permanent. Such a cough usually occurs with acute bronchitis, and not pneumonia, which complicates the diagnosis.
  • When listening to a doctor, scanty data are usually presented: rare variegated rattles, pulmonary percussion sound. Therefore, according to the nature of wheezing, it is difficult for a doctor to determine atypical pneumonia, since there are no traditional signs, which greatly complicates the diagnosis.
  • In the analysis of blood in atypical pneumonia there may be no significant changes. But usually there is increased ESR, neutrophilic leukocytosis, a combination with anemia, leukopenia, eosinophilia.
  • On the x-ray of the chest reveals a pronounced enhancement of the pulmonary pattern, non-uniform focal infiltration of the pulmonary fields.
  • Both chlamydia and mycoplasma have a feature that exists for a long time in the epithelial cells of the bronchi and lungs, therefore, pneumonia usually has a prolonged recurrent character.
  • Treatment of atypical pneumonia in the child is carried out by macrolides (azithromycin, josamycin, clarithromycin), because the pathogens to them are most sensitive (to tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones, too, but they are children contraindicated).

Indications for hospitalization

The decision on where to treat a child with pneumonia - in a hospital or at home, the doctor takes, while he takes into account several factors:

  • The severity of the condition and the presence of complications - respiratory failure, pleurisy, acute disorders of consciousness, heart failure, falls AD, lung abscess, pleural empyema, infectious-toxic shock, sepsis.
  • The defeat of several lobes of the lung. Treatment of focal pneumonia in the child at home is entirely possible, but with croupous pneumonia treatment is best done in a hospital.
  • Social indications are poor living conditions, inability to perform care and doctor's prescriptions.
  • Age of the child - if the infant is sick, this is the reason for hospitalization, because the pneumonia of the baby is a serious threat to life. If pneumonia develops in a child under 3 years of age, treatment depends on the severity of the condition and most often doctors insist on hospitalization. Older children can be treated at home provided that the pneumonia is not severe.
  • General health - in the presence of chronic diseases, weakened overall health of the child, regardless of age, the doctor may insist on hospitalization.

Treatment of pneumonia in children

How to treat pneumonia in children? The basis of therapy for pneumonia is antibiotics. At a time when there were no antibiotics in the arsenal of doctors with bronchitis and pneumonia, a very frequent cause of death of adults and children there was pneumonia, therefore, in no case should one refuse to use them, no folk remedies for pneumonia are effective. From the parents it is required to strictly follow all the doctor's recommendations, the proper care of the child, the observance of the drinking regime, nutrition:

  • Reception of antibiotics must be carried out strictly in time, if the appointment of the drug 2 times per day, this means that there should be a break of 12 hours between meals, if 3 times a day, then a break of 8 hours (cm. 11 rules how to take antibiotics correctly). Antibiotics are prescribed - penicillins, cephalosporins for 7 days, macrolides (azithromycin, josamycin, clarithromycin) - 5 days. The effectiveness of the drug is estimated within 72 hours - an improvement in appetite, a decrease in temperature, dyspnea.
  • Antipyretics are used if the temperature is above 39C, in infants above 38C. Initially, antibiotic treatment of antipyretics is not prescribed, as the evaluation of the effectiveness of therapy is difficult. It should be remembered that during a high temperature in the body, the maximum amount antibodies against the causative agent of the disease, so if the child can tolerate the temperature of 38C, it is better not to knock down. So the body quickly cope with the microbe that caused pneumonia in the baby. If the child had at least one episode of febrile seizures, the temperature should be knocked down already at 3, C.
  • Nutrition of the child with pneumonia - lack of appetite in children during illness is considered natural and the child's refusal from food intake due to increased strain on the liver when fighting infection, so you can not force a child to feed. If possible, prepare light food for the patient, exclude any ready-made chemicals, fried and fatty, try to feed child simple, easily assimilated food - cereals, soups on a weak broth, steam cutlets from low-fat meat, boiled potatoes, various vegetables, fruit.
  • Oral hydration - in water, natural freshly diluted juices - carrot, apple, weakly boiled tea with raspberries, rose hips infusion, water-electrolyte solutions (Regidron and etc).
  • Airing, daily wet cleaning, use of air humidifiers - ease the condition of the baby, and the love and care of parents works wonders.
  • No restorative (synthetic vitamins), antihistamines, immunomodulating agents are not used, as often lead to side effects and do not improve the course and outcome of pneumonia.

Reception of antibiotics for pneumonia in a child (uncomplicated) usually does not exceed 7 days (macrolides 5 days), and if bed rest is observed, perform all the doctor's recommendations, in the absence of complications, the child quickly recovers, but for a month there will still be residual effects in the form of a cough, slight weakness. With atypical pneumonia, treatment can be delayed.

In the treatment of antibiotics in the body, the intestinal microflora is broken, so the doctor prescribes probiotics - RioFlora Immuno, Acipol, Bifiform, Bifidumbacterin, Normobakt, Lactobacterin. Analogues of Linex - a list of all probiotics). To remove toxins after the end of therapy, the doctor can prescribe sorbents, such as Polysorb, Enterosgel, Filtrum.

With the effectiveness of treatment for general regimen and walks, it is possible to transfer the child from the 6th to the 10th day of the disease, the hardening to resume after 2-3 weeks. With a mild pneumonia, large physical exertion (sport) is allowed after 6 weeks, with complicated after 12 weeks.

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Atypical pneumonia. Signs of pneumonia, treatment

Atypical pneumonia at primary examination is diagnosed rather seldom, as for the general symptomatic disease caused by uncharacteristic pathogens, does not differ from the usual inflammation of the lungs. But after a while, when the prescribed therapy does not give the expected result, doctors use additional diagnostic methods, and only then the truth becomes obvious. Therefore, with pneumonia it is so important to know what symptoms the patient should pay attention to and inform them about the doctor so that atypical pneumonia can be recognized at the initial stage.

General characteristics of the disease

The general term - atypical pneumonia - combines infectious and inflammatory lung diseases of varying severity, caused by pathogens such as chlamydia, legionella, mycoplasma and viruses. The course of this inflammatory process is characterized by general malaise, headache and muscle pain, chills, high fever, sweating, shortness of breath and cough.

Diagnosis of the disease is carried out using immunological, X-ray and microbiological studies. With regard to treatment, depending on the etiology of the disease, antimicrobial or antiviral medication can be prescribed. The main difficulty that specialists face in this process is that until today no effective medications have been found against certain causative agents of the disease.

It is worth noting that dangerous microorganisms, which are the cause of the development of SARS, possess ability to reproduce and live within human cells and, unlike simple bacteria, can not exist in another environment. Depending on the type of microbial pathogen, viral, mycoplasma, chlamydia and legionellosis pneumonia are distinguished. The risk group is made up of people younger than 40, but most often diagnosed as a disease in children and adolescents.

The course of SARS can be divided into two main stages. The first symptomatic resembles an ordinary cold, the second - is complicated by manifestations of pneumonia.

Main Symptoms of SARS

Determine the signs of pneumonia caused by atypical pathogens is quite difficult. After all, the clinical picture of the disease is characterized by an increase in temperature to critical parameters (38-40 ˚С), general weakness and increased night sweating. Also, the sickness of the patient can be tormented by hoarseness, coughing, shortness of breath, headaches - in a word, symptomatic of a cold or SARS. Complement the common signs of pneumonia in later stages of pain in the lungs and heart palpitations.

Symptoms of the disease in adults

Atypical pneumonia in adults is much more severe than in small patients. In addition, diagnosing the disease in patients older than 16 years is much more difficult, since its manifestations are very similar to the symptoms of various inflammatory airway processes. And if you consider that many adults do not always consult a doctor with this symptomatology and are treated themselves, then the ailment is often determined at the later stages. By this time, originated at the beginning as a left-sided (or right-sided), pneumonia can spread to both lungs.

By the nature of the manifestations, there are 3 main forms of the disease. The first is characterized by a rapid and sharp beginning, which is accompanied by critically high rates body temperature, toxicosis, and in some cases, the patient may exhibit symptoms of irritation CNS. After 3-4 days of febrile condition, catarrhal symptoms appear, such as irritable cough (usually unproductive) and perspiration in the throat. Already at this stage of the disease on the X-ray, the inflammatory process is clearly visible. On the affected areas of the lung tissue, changes are seen in the form of a light mesh.

The second form of the disease is characterized by the manifestation of acute catarrhal symptoms from the very beginning of the development of the disease. Patients complain of painful inflammation of the mucous throat and general malaise amid a moderately elevated stable temperature (3, - 3, ° C). Sometimes signs of pneumonia at the initial stage may manifest as follicular or catarrhal angina and tracheobronchitis.

The clinical picture of a severe form of the disease is characterized by the prevalence of cardiovascular failure. Initially, a person has shortness of breath, but the rhythm of breathing is not violated dramatically. This process is gradual and can take several days. If you do not establish a correct diagnosis in time, deep breaths appear on the background of superficial breathing, and lung tissue, in turn, is amazed. At this stage, the disease takes the form of a croupous inflammatory process.

Often, atypical pneumonia is manifested by a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract with pronounced symptoms of toxicosis.

Symptoms of the disease in children

Unlike adults, in children the manifestations of the disease may have a slightly different character. So, most often the onset of the disease is characterized by an increase in temperature to 38 ° C, and in this condition, antipyretic agents are not very effective. Very brightly during this period can be expressed signs of intoxication in the form of sweating, weakness and decreased appetite. As for the cough, it begins much later, and is preceded by inflammation of the mucous throat and throat. Therefore, often a child can be diagnosed with pharyngitis or angina and only after an additional examination to identify pneumonia.

Another characteristic symptom of atypical inflammation is rapid breathing. In addition, in a child with pneumonia, the skin in the area of ​​the affected lung is drawn into the space between the ribs. It is not only the doctor, but also parents, who can notice such manifestation of an ailment. Pay attention to the fact that the baby does not lie on his side with a sick lung, as it gives him discomfort, and sometimes accompanied by pain. To aggravate the patient's condition at later stages of pathology development can diarrhea, vomiting and nosebleeds.

Caused by atypical pathogens of pneumonia in newborns is the development of emphysema, so it is important to recognize the disease in time and begin effective treatment.

In general, the disease is reflected not only on the health of the child, but also on his behavior - the patient becomes capricious, irritable, listless and whiny. And the manifestations of specific symptoms largely depend on the form and type of causative agent of the disease.

Mycoplasmal pneumonia: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

The highest degree of morbidity with the possible development of foci of the epidemic in closed groups is characterized by mycoplasmal pneumonia of the lungs. On primary symptoms, the disease is very similar to SARS. The patient's body temperature rises, aching pain in muscles and joints, a runny nose, while he complains of shattering and chills. The peculiarity of the disease is shortness of breath and chest pain, and in some cases - skin rash, nosebleeds and blood in sputum. Mycoplasma atypical pneumonia in newborns can be manifested only by fever and shortness of breath.

Diagnosis of the disease using laboratory tests and instrumental methods of research. An x-ray image of the patient reveals the middle and low intensity areas of lung tissue infiltration in the form of blurred spots and shadows, as well as strengthening of the bronchial and vascular pattern. The type of pathogen is determined when analyzing sputum, as well as smear from the nose and throat of the patient.

If mycoplasma atypical pneumonia is diagnosed according to the results of the study, the treatment is selected from taking into account the form of the disease and the individual characteristics of the patient - age and allergic predisposition. Timely therapy, including symptomatic drugs and specific drugs, leads to a rapid improvement in the patient's condition. Complete recovery occurs after 7-12 days.

Legionellosis pneumonia

This pneumonia is more often diagnosed in adults, since the source of the pathogen is air conditioning systems and devices. The most common disease is found in office workers and employees of grocery stores in the hot season. The causative agent is the bacterium Legionella, which was first discovered in 1976.

As a rule, legionellosis atypical pneumonia symptoms are very bright and rapid even at the initial stage. The patient's body temperature rises to 39-40 ° C, a non-productive cough and chills appear. And after 20-25 hours the symptomatology is supplemented with shortness of breath and purulent-mucous sputum, and in some cases hemoptysis. A little later, vomiting, diarrhea and acute muscle pains join the atypical pulmonary manifestations. If the patient does not receive appropriate therapy in this condition, renal and respiratory failure may develop. The risk of a lethal outcome with such diseases is very high, so when you have the first symptoms do not postpone the visit to the doctor.

Diagnosis and treatment of "legionnaires' disease"

Already from the second day of illness the doctor, with airway accu- mulation, will be able to determine the prevalence of wet wheezing in the lungs. To establish a complete clinical picture of the disease, as with a typical inflammation of the lungs, an X-ray is helpful. In these pictures, lesions of lung tissue with a tendency to fusion and pleurisy are well traced. To determine the type of pathogen, the patient must pass a sputum culture of pleural effusion or taken with bronchoscopy.

With properly prescribed treatment, legionella pneumonia in adults retreats to the fifth-sixth day. But improvements are not characteristic for all symptoms of the disease. So, for example, the continuation of a fever in the patient is still considered normal for another 10-14 days after the start of taking medication. It takes a month to restore the affected areas of the lungs, but with a severe form of the disease, not all focal zones return to their original state, which often provokes development pneumosclerosis.

A complete cure for the disease is not only a long process, but also a time-consuming process, as the patient, besides therapy, will need to undergo a course of restoring the immune system.

Chlamydial inflammation of the lungs

The causative agents of atypical pneumonia of this species are intracellular parasites - chlamydia. Infection occurs by airborne droplets and affects people with weakened immunity: children, adolescents and the elderly. The highest activity of the disease is recorded in the cold season, when people at risk are exposed to frequent attacks of viral respiratory infections.

At the initial stage, such atypical pneumonia symptoms are rather sluggish, which makes it difficult to make the right diagnosis. As with ARVI, the patient complains of malaise, sore throat and shortness of breath due to a common cold and swelling of the mucosa. In addition, the temperature may rise to 39 ° C, and after a couple of days dyspnea and an unproductive irritable cough are added. Sometimes chlamydial atypical pneumonia in children is complicated by lymphadenopathy, obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma.

The disease is identified (due to lubricated symptoms) most often in the late stages, when intracellular parasites manage to settle in both lungs. That is why clamidiosis bilateral pneumonia occurs much more often than one-sided pneumonia.

The diagnosis is carried out using a comprehensive examination of the patient. When auscultation in the lungs for 10 days, dry and wet wheezing, characteristic for the usual inflammatory process, are listened. On an x-ray, interstitial or small-focal infiltration is seen on the right and left lungs. The most informative method of diagnosing this disease is considered to be an analysis of the detection of immunoglobulins to pathogens, in this case to chlamydia.

Therapy is based on the use of specific antibiotics for 10-14 days. A shorter course of treatment can cause chronic illness and relapse.

SARS, or viral pneumonia

Inflammation caused by coronaviruses is considered to be the most dangerous and complex type of disease. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that the causative agent is known only since 2002 and has not been fully studied to the present.

For the first time, a disease was registered in China, it caused an epidemic that killed more than 800 lives. SARS was attacked then by about 8 thousand people, but one third of them after pneumonia completely restored the state of health and could not. In Russia, only one case was registered, and the patient after long-term hospital treatment was saved.

This pneumonia of the lungs is characterized by nonspecific symptoms of viral intoxication. Headaches / muscle pains, as well as chills, fever and sweating appear 3-5 days. After this, dyspnea, dry cough and progressive hypoxia join them. In cases of favorable outcome for a week, the symptoms regress. And in case of severe illness, the patient needs immediate hospitalization, since the risk of developing distress syndrome, acute respiratory failure and toxic shock is increased.

As for diagnostics, at present there is no specific method for detecting SARS. In auscultation, weakened breathing, blunting of percussion sound, crepitation, and wet, small bubbling rales are noted. Changes in lung tissue are seen on X-ray images in the form of tissue infiltrates, most often on the periphery of the lungs. The results of the patient's blood test indicate a decrease in platelets and white blood cells against a background of increased values ​​of hepatic enzymes.

Since the pathogen was identified quite recently, there are no specific data on how to treat pneumonia. And given the fact that the virus lends itself to constant mutation, the search for a universal drug is complicated several times.

The recommended drug therapy is based on broad-spectrum antimicrobials and antiviral agents such as Ribavirin. To prevent the development of inflammation, corticosteroids and symptomatic agents are often added to specific therapy. Treatment is carried out only in a hospital environment, as patients may need to perform oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, and infusion therapy.

Medicamentous treatment of atypical pneumonia

The main therapy is based on drugs that are able to cope with the colonies of pathogens. So, if the patient is diagnosed with mycoplasma atypical pneumonia, the treatment will be directed to the destruction of these parasitic microorganisms. In the process of therapy, macrolides are most often used, so the main course for 7-14 days can be prescribed drugs "Erythromycin" or "Azithromycin". Simultaneously, symptomatic treatment is carried out, which involves the use of mucolytic, antipyretic and bronchodilator medications.

Left-sided or right-sided pneumonia caused by chlamydia regresses with tetracyclines and macrolides. Regardless of which etiotropic drug will be prescribed, the course duration can not be less than 10-14 days. If after 7 days of taking the medicine "Azithromycin "Tetracycline" or "Erythromycin no positive dynamics observed, doctors resort to the use of fluoroquinolones, such as "Ofloxacin "Sparfloxacin" and Doxycycline.

As a rule, clinical improvements in legionella pneumonia are observed on the 5th-6th day of antibiotic use "Rifampicin "Ciprofloxacin" or "Erythromycin".

If such causes of pneumonia as coronaviruses are established, the therapy scheme is complex include several antimicrobial medications from the group of tetracyclines, fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins and ß-lactams. Almost always, the drug "Ribavirin" is used as an antiviral agent. For complete recovery, individual treatment is complemented by infusion therapy and oxygen therapy.

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