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Pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs, is often thought of as a winter ailment – but you can get it year-round.

It is the third most common reason for hospitalizations.

And while pneumonia responds well to treatment, it can be hard to diagnose in its early state.

Eight-year-old Derrick is just such a case. He woke up shaking, with chills and a fever – unable to catch his breath. His mom soon brought him to the ER.

And the thing that really concerned her was that he was having difficulty breathing,” says Dr. David Goo, of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “He was short of breath and complained of chest pain. I think chest pain is a very common pediatric complaint, but something that really deserves somebody to look at your child.”

Derrick’s chest pain could have been caused by allergies, or a cold – or something more serious.

“The organs that are in the chest are major organs like the heart and the lungs, specifically,” says Dr. Goo. “So people that are having chest pains could be having cardiac or heart problems, or it could be in their lungs. So we get very concerned with children that have chest pain, and we would like them to be seen by their doctors.”

A chest x-ray reveals that Derrick has a mild case of pneumonia.

“I think we’ll go ahead and treat this with an antibiotic,” says Dr. Goo, “although it may be a viral cause. But just to be sure, we’ll cover him with an antibiotic.”

Pneumonia often follows a common cold. It’s hard to prevent and if left untreated can be life threatening.
But if caught early enough, pneumonia can be easily controlled.

“If your child has persistent fever, high fever, continued cough, difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or, as in Derrick’s case, chest pain, he should immediately seek therapy, immediately seek treatment from your doctor,” says Dr. Goo.

What We Need To Know

• The signs and symptoms of pneumonia in children can vary greatly.
  Some common symptoms are cough, chills, fever, unusually rapid breathing, grunting or wheezing sounds while breathing, labored breathing, chest pain, vomiting and abdominal pain. (Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media)
• The signs and symptoms of pneumonia in children can vary greatly.
  Some common symptoms are cough, chills, fever, unusually rapid breathing, grunting or wheezing sounds while breathing, labored breathing, chest pain, vomiting and abdominal pain. (Nemours Foundation’s Center for Children’s Health Media)
• You child’s doctor will usually base their treatment for pneumonia depending on your child’s age, the extent and cause of their condition, your child’s tolerance for certain medications and your preference for treatment.
  
  Bacterial pneumonia may be treated with antibiotics – along with increased fluids, acetaminophen to reduce fever and pain, and cough medication. There is no clearly effective treatment for viral pneumonia, a condition that usually resolves itself.
  
  Serious cases of pneumonia, when the child is hospitalized, may require intravenous intake of antibiotics and/or fluids, oxygen therapy and suctioning – to remove secretions from the child’s nose and mouth. (Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stamford)
• Recovery from pneumonia usually takes seven to 10 days, but it can take longer in some cases. Relapses are not uncommon, and can be more serious than the initial bout of pneumonia itself. (Quebec Lung Association)

Resources

• American Academy of Family Physicians
• Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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