Question 1

what are some causes/concerns for frequent pneumonia in a child?

Accepted Answer

Asthma: Asthma is the most frequent cause of multiple episodes of pneumonia.  If the asthma is well controlled, pneumonia should be a very uncommon event.  Other causes of frequent pneumonia can include immune dysfunction, recurrent aspiration, foreign body aspiration, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis.

Question 2

what is the usual antibiotic for pneumonia in a child of 6 years?

Accepted Answer

Depends:: Depending on the kind of pneumonia, either Azithromycin or amoxicillin.

Question 3

what does pneumonia sound like in a child?

Accepted Answer

Pneumonia: Usually pneumonia will present with a cough, the child may have fever, chest pain, shortness of air, and when you listen to their chest with a stethoscope you will hear "rales" which are faint sounds over the area of the lung that is involved.  Sometimes also rhonchi, which are tubular sounds made by congestion in the airways.

Question 4

how can you know if your child has pneumonia?

Accepted Answer

Doctor diagnoses: Pneumonia in it's simplest definition is an infection of the lungs.It can be bacterial or viral.Symptoms tend to always include cough and fever along with breathing changes. Symptoms like fatigue and difficulty breathing can appear without warning, and can be severe.Certain symptoms, like cough and fatigue, may last for weeks, or longer.Your doctor will spot check Oxygen levels and listen to lungs

Question 5

how common is it for a child to die of pneumonia?

Accepted Answer

Not common: It is not common at all in previously healthy children, but it does happen.

Question 6

a child with pneumonia, is it ok to take them to a pool?

Accepted Answer

NO: A child with pneumonia needs to rest and avoid exertion.  Any increase in activity can cause difficulty breathing.  I would be worried about adding the dangers of water activities in someone with impaired breathing.

Question 7

could pneumonia as a child stunt any growth or development?

Accepted Answer

: As a short term illness this would not. Chronic kidney disease lasting years would be an example illness that stunts growth.

Question 8

if i got pneumonia as a child will i have life long effect from it?

Accepted Answer

Pneumonia:  Not necessarily. If you healed well, there may not be residual pulmonary scarring.  The question is- do you currently have sequela from the pneumonia.

Question 9

how many days should a child remain out of preschool with a diagnosis of pneumonia?

Accepted Answer

It depends.: It depends on how your child feels.  If he has had no fever for 24 hr, isn't coughing much, and has a normal activity level, he can return.  If it is bacterial pneumonia, i like patients to have at least 24 hours of antibiotics before exposing others.

Question 10

should i babysit a child who has recently been diagnosed with pneumonia, or will i catch it?

Accepted Answer

You can baby sit: In general, pneumonia due to bacteria is not contagious.  If the child has a viral infection or influenza (the "flu") however, this could be contagious.  If the child has been diagnosed to have a bacterial pneumonia, then it would be safe to babysit the child. The only major type of bacterial pneumonia that is contagious is tuberculosis, but in general, people do not refer to this as pneumonia.

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Doctor answers about:

Pneumonia in child

A member asked:

What are some causes/concerns for frequent pneumonia in a child?

A member asked:

What is the usual antibiotic for pneumonia in a child of 6 years?

A member asked:

What does pneumonia sound like in a child?

A member asked:

How can you know if your child has pneumonia?

A member asked:

How common is it for a child to die of pneumonia?

A member asked:

A child with pneumonia, is it ok to take them to a pool?

A member asked:

Could pneumonia as a child stunt any growth or development?

A member asked:

If i got pneumonia as a child will i have life long effect from it?

A member asked:

How many days should a child remain out of preschool with a diagnosis of pneumonia?

A member asked:

Should i babysit a child who has recently been diagnosed with pneumonia, or will i catch it?

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