Infectious or non-infectious, if your child is suffering from any disease, it can be hectic and troublesome to get the proper and timely treatment. Infections of the lungs can be fatal and would require immediate emergency medical attention. With the advancement in medical care, you can expect various urgent care centers around you.
What is Pediatric Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. Although the primary symptoms resemble that of the common cold and flu, the condition might deteriorate rapidly. Pneumonia might affect at any age, but children are more prone to pneumonia due to their weak immunity, which is not entirely developed.
According to UNICEF, pediatric pneumonia is responsible for almost 800000 deaths of children worldwide every year. These deaths are characterized by underlying conditions of chronic heart disease, immunosuppression, and congenital heart diseases. Pediatric pneumonia is predominant among children younger than five years of age. If your child is suffering from pediatric pneumonia, you might consult urgent care clinic 77008.
What Causes Pneumonia in Children?
Mostly viruses or bacterias cause pneumonia—these microbes spread by direct contact with an already infected person. The viral infection might also affect a child’s air tract with a weak immune system; the bacteria might begin to grow inside the lung, thus spreading the infection.
Children with weak immune systems or with asthma, cystic fibrosis, or cancer are more prone to be infected by pneumonia. Children with irregular air tracts or lungs have a higher risk of suffering by pediatric pneumonia.
Change in weather might also trigger pediatric pneumonia. Viral or bacterial infections cause most pediatric pneumonia types. These microbial organisms are more active during early spring or fall-winter. Children spending more time indoors in congested places are at a higher risk of being infected by pediatric pneumonia. Houston walk-in clinic has all the modern facilities to treat pediatric pneumonia.
The commonly known bacterias and viruses causing pediatric pneumonia are:
- Streptococcus pneumonia
- Streptococcus aureus
- Group B streptococcus
- Influenza virus
- Adenovirus
- Respiratory syncytial virus
- Parainfluenza virus
- Mycoplasma pneumonia
The Risk Group
Weak immune system due to malnutrition, undernutrition, or some severe disease as cancer might leave the body incapable of fighting the common viruses. Once the body is weak, the pneumonia virus can set in quickly.
Asthma, cystic fibrosis, or any chronic health issue can leave the immune system weak. Problems with the air tract and lungs also hasten the attack of pneumonia-causing bacterias or viruses. The risk of pediatric pneumonia is increased among children below one year of age if they are subjected to passive tobacco smoking.
If your child is suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia, immunodeficiency syndrome, gastro-esophageal reflux, or neuromuscular diseases, the risk for suffering from pediatric pneumonia is high.
Symptoms of Pediatric Pneumonia
The symptoms of pediatric pneumonia vary from child to child and depend on the cause of pneumonia. The predominant symptoms of bacterial pneumonia are:
- Pain from continuous coughs
- Diarrhea or vomiting
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Cough with mucus production
The primary symptoms of virus-caused pneumonia are similar to those of pneumonia caused by bacteria. The additional symptoms include:
- Fast or hard breathing
- Fussiness
- Headaches
- Chills
The most prominent symptom of viral pneumonia is a breathing problem. Although the breathing difficulty sets in slowly but increases rapidly, and the child could need urgent care near you. Neumed Modern Urgent Care can be the urgent care in Houston you might be looking for. With the reputation of being the modern clinic with smart health care, you can expect better treatment.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Pediatric Pneumonia
The doctors generally can diagnose pediatric pneumonia based on the season, primary symptoms, age of the child, and checking the chest through a statoscope. The doctors might perform x-rays, blood tests, CT scans of the chest, pleural fluid culture, bronchoscopy, and sputum culture to confirm the diagnosis.
Neumed Modern Urgent Care in Houston can help you in the time of need when life throws you a curveball. With an unblemished record in patients’ care and well-being, we are dedicated to serving you in the best possible ways. The fully upgraded and advanced technology enables us to detect and diagnose your child’s health issues and start treatment immediately. You can also book an appointment online.
