Pediatric pneumonia is a serious condition that can take a long time to recover from. This illness affects your child’s lung health in both the short and long term. Proper aftercare reduces your child’s risk of developing complications from pediatric pneumonia.
As a parent, you’d do anything to take your child’s sickness away. The best way you can help them get through this is by following medical guidelines for their recovery. Here’s what you should do after your child is diagnosed with pneumonia.
Where Does Pediatric Pneumonia Come From?
Childhood pneumonia can come from bacteria or viruses. Immunocompromised kids and kids with existing lung problems are at a higher risk of developing pneumonia after an illness. Common infections that result in pediatric pneumonia include:
- Strep throat
- Influenza
- Adenovirus
- Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Staph infections
- “Walking pneumonia” bacteria
- Uncommon fungal infections
Viruses are the most frequently occurring precursor to pneumonia in children. However, the above bacterial infections can travel to the lungs, especially in children with weakened immune systems and respiratory complications.
Your child’s pneumonia diagnosis doesn’t mean that you did anything wrong. While some risk factors, like secondhand smoke exposure, are in your control as a parent, many others are not.
Pediatric Pneumonia Infection: What’s Happening in Your Child’s Body
Every person’s lungs are lined with tiny sacs (alveoli) that take in air from the environment. When you breathe in, alveoli expand to allow for oxygen absorption. During a pneumonia infection, these essential air sacs become irritated and fill with pus or fluid, making it much harder to breathe.
When your child’s air sacs are inflamed and contain fluid, breathing can become painful. The infection also prevents enough oxygen from getting into your child’s bloodstream. That’s why prompt medical treatment for pediatric pneumonia is so important. It helps them avoid long-term complications.
These are some of the noticeable symptoms of pneumonia in children:
- Rapid breathing
- Coughing
- Chills
- Fever
- Wheezing
- Fatigue
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
Your child may also complain of chest pain and tightness if they have an active infection, and their breathing might speed up in an effort to get an adequate oxygen supply.
As their body clears the infection, the pus-filled alveoli will drain, and your child will have an easier time breathing. Their cough will weaken and then fade completely. They’ll slowly regain their energy, strength, and normal breathing patterns.
How Do Doctors Treat Pneumonia in Children?
Common treatments for pneumonia include antibiotics and antiviral medications. Viral pneumonia is a bit harder to treat because antiviral drugs don’t always work on it. In some cases, the body has to clear the infection on its own using its natural immunity.
How to Care for Your Child During Pneumonia Recovery
You can’t take your child’s infection away, but you can make them comfortable and care for them as they recover. Pediatric pneumonia is draining and can cause lingering symptoms for three to eight weeks in children. Follow these aftercare tips to encourage your child’s whole-body wellness.
Follow Prescription Instructions Carefully
If your child’s pediatrician prescribes antibiotics for pneumonia, they must take all of the doses. Skipping doses once your child feels better can result in reinfection and antibiotic resistance.
Unfortunately, skipping antiviral doses can have similar consequences. If your little one doesn’t take their medication as prescribed, the virus in your child’s body has the potential to change on a genetic level to resist the drugs.
Always follow the exact instructions on the packaging. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s prescriptions, contact a nurse’s line or your pediatrician directly.
Use a Humidifier
Humidifiers release moisture into the air to make breathing more comfortable. If your child is struggling with intense coughing or a sore throat, a humidifier can help. Place it next to their sleeping space to provide relief overnight.
Give Your Child Plenty of Fluids
Hydration is key to your little one’s recovery. If they’ve been vomiting or have had diarrhea, it’s even more important to help them drink water and electrolytes. Products like Pedialyte and powdered electrolyte drink mixes can replenish their body and encourage a faster recovery.
Provide fluids in an age-appropriate container, like sippy cups for toddlers or plastic cups for school-aged children. You can also make Pedialyte popsicles for them to suck on and soak up extra hydration.
Encourage Rest
Kids need lots of sleep to recover from illnesses such as pneumonia. Sleep allows their immune systems to fight off the “bad guys” and restore healthy immune cells. Kids need 9 to 13 hours of sleep for optimal health.
Pneumonia can make it hard for children to sleep through the night, especially if they’re coughing a lot. Use humidifiers and over-the-counter pain relievers to help your little one get the rest they need to recover.
During the day, you should encourage them to stay in bed. Relaxing activities like coloring, watching television, and playing video games will help keep their mind busy. Overexerting their body with physical activity will make it harder to fight off the infection.
Keep Them Away From All Types of Smoke
Secondhand and thirdhand smoke are detrimental to your child’s pulmonary health. During pneumonia recovery, it’s critical to keep them away from all types of smoke. Breathing in smoke vapors can further irritate their airway and prolong their infection.
After smoking or vaping, make sure to change your clothes before you come into close contact with your child. Never smoke indoors, either. Encourage your guests to walk away from your house while smoking.
Provide Healthy Snacks and Meals
Fruits and vegetables have many beneficial vitamins and minerals that boost children’s immunity. While they’re sick, encourage your child to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. Hydration is most important, and nutrition comes next on the list of priorities for pneumonia recovery.
If your little one is having trouble keeping food down, follow the BRAT diet: bananas, applesauce, rice, and toast. These simple foods keep their stomach calm and offer important starches.
See a Pediatric Pulmonary Specialist at Newport Children’s Medical Group
Timely medical care can save your child from the long-lasting complications of pediatric pneumonia infections. At Newport Children’s Medical Group, we offer pediatric pulmonary services to assess and maintain your little one’s respiratory health. Book an appointment with us for expert pulmonary advice today.