Does your child have walking pneumonia? Signs to watch out for

If your child coughs or has a sore throat, you cannot rush to a nearby hospital. In fact, they may go to school and play outdoors with friends. However, coughing and sore throat can be a sign of walking pneumonia, an informal term used in common bacterial health conditions. It is a mild form of a serious respiratory infection that affects the lungs. Walking with pneumonia in children does not necessarily require a hospital visit, but it is important to receive treatment on time.

What is walking for pneumonia?

Walking in pneumonia, also known as atypical pneumonia, is a type of lung infection. “It’s a mild form of pneumonia that often affects children,” says pediatrician Dr. Preeta Joshi. Approximately 120 million episodes of pneumonia occur in children under the age of five each year. This leads to at least 1 million deaths worldwide, according to a study published in the Journal of Pneumonia in 2015.

If you are walking with pneumonia in your child, most children will not feel bad enough to stay home or stop activity. That’s why it’s called walking pneumonia. However, once diagnosed, make sure they are at home, receive the correct antibiotics and recover well.

What causes walking pneumonia in children?

According to the American Lung Association, walking for pneumonia in children is most commonly caused by H. pneumonia. “It’s a type of bacteria that spreads into respiratory droplets by people infected with coughs or sneezing,” experts say. Unlike typical bacteria, mycoplasma pneumoniae does not have a hard cell wall and is sometimes resistant to antibiotics. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can infect anyone in most cases, but most target children and young adults aged 5 to 17 years old.

“Other bacteria, such as Pneumoniae, and certain viruses, such as influenza, and respiratory syncytial viruses, can cause walking pneumonia in children,” says Dr. Joshi.

What are the symptoms of walking pneumonia in children?

Children may have symptoms such as diarrhea, wheezing, and vomiting, according to the CDC. Other signs of walking of pneumonia in children include:

• Cough that lasts for several weeks
• sore throat
• headache
• Fatigue, especially while engaging in sports and physical activities.
• Low grade fever
• My chest pulls while I breathe. This is a sign that your child is working hard to breathe.
• Fever can be accompanied by chills.

What stages are the walking pneumonia in children?

Walking pneumonia in children has gone through the following stages:

• The incubation period lasts 1-4 weeks, during which the bacteria grow in the airways without any symptoms.
• After the incubation period, symptoms gradually appear.
• A persistent dry cough occurs, often worsening at night. Chest discomfort and mild to severe shortness of breath can also occur.
• Walking for pneumonia is mild, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious pneumonia. “In those cases, you will notice more prominent respiratory symptoms, such as cough, chest pain, and difficulty breathing,” the expert says. At this stage, you may need to have your child admitted to the hospital.
• During the recovery phase, symptoms usually improve within weeks with appropriate treatment, but cough can remain for weeks or months.

How about walking in a diagnosed child with pneumonia?

Walking pneumonia in children is diagnosed through a detailed medical history and careful examination.

• Respiratory testing may suggest pneumonia and suggest that doctors seek chest x-rays.
• Mucus samples are collected from the nose or throat for a definitive diagnosis.
• There are also blood tests that can confirm the body’s immune response to mycoplasma.

How to treat walking pneumonia in children?

Treatment of walking pneumonia includes:

1. Symptomatic treatment

“Because of fever, you may be given medications like paracetamol or ibuprofen. Doctors may give you cough syrup and suggest steam inhalation,” the expert says. Some children suffer from hypersensitivity airway disease, in which the airways are highly sensitive to irritants. “In such cases, your child will need bronchodilators. Bronchodilators are a type of medicine that makes breathing easier,” says Dr. Joshi.

2. The definitive treatment

After diagnosing mycoplasma pneumonia, antibiotics are the only effective and definitive treatment. “A course of oral antibiotics for 5-10 days is usually recommended to treat gait pneumonia in children,” experts say. Sometimes it can last for more than 10 days.

3. Severe treatment

Some children may need breathing in the form of oxygen, non-invasive or invasive ventilation support. “Infection may be resistant to the initial strain of antibiotics and may require stronger antibiotics for a longer period of time. If you turn to severe pneumonia, you may be given a course of steroids,” the expert says.

4. Personal hygiene measures

After starting antibiotics, your child is less likely to pass the illness to you or other family members. “Even so, make sure they wash their hands properly and sneeze out into their elbows,” says the expert. Also, make sure your child is up to date with regard to vaccinations that will help protect them from other infectious diseases.

“Your child can take anywhere from two to six weeks to fully recover. Don’t stop taking antibiotics until the course is complete,” says the expert.

Walking for pneumonia in children is very common. Even mild cases should be treated to prevent severe pneumonia. Please give your child medication only after consulting with your doctor.