Pneumonia In Children

Key points about pneumonia

• pneumonia is an infection of the lungs
• pneumonia can cause cough, fever and trouble breathing
• either viruses or bacteria cause pneumonia
• viral pneumonia is more common in tamariki
• most tamariki make a complete recovery from pneumonia
• if you are worried about your child's breathing, see a health professional

What is pneumonia?

Immunisation helps to prevent some serious causes of pneumonia.

Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs. It often affects only part of the lungs. 

The illustration shows pneumonia affecting part of one lung.

 

What causes pneumonia?

Either viruses or bacteria cause pneumonia.

In tamariki, especially young tamariki, viral pneumonia is more common.

It can be difficult to tell whether the pneumonia is due to a virus or bacteria.

Can you catch pneumonia?

Yes, you can catch the viruses that cause viral pneumonia - they can spread easily between people. Most tamariki with a virus just get a cold. Only a few will get pneumonia.

Viral infections, including viral pneumonia, are more common in winter.

Bacterial pneumonia does not usually spread between people.

It's difficult to tell whether pneumonia is viral or bacterial.

Keep your child with pneumonia away from others.

What puts my child at risk of getting pneumonia?

Anyone can get pneumonia. But some tamariki are more likely to get pneumonia than others. Tamariki are at greater risk of getting pneumonia if they:

• haven't had their vaccinations
• are around cigarette smoke
• have a long-lasting condition that affects the lungs 
• have any other long-lasting medical condition
• were born premature
• have feeding problems, such as food or liquid going down the wrong way, into the lungs (aspiration) 

What are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia?

Pneumonia causes cough and sometimes a fever.

It also causes trouble breathing which can include:

• putting extra effort into breathing
• breathing faster than usual
• noisy or rattly breathing
• difficulty with feeding
• making a grunting sound with breathing

Check the signs that show your child is struggling to breathe

Viral pneumonia

Viral pneumonia usually develops over days. It starts with a cold and a runny nose. Then there is a cough, sometimes fever and then breathing problems.

Bacterial pneumonia

Bacterial pneumonia usually develops faster, over a day. It causes high fever, a cough, and breathing problems. Your child may be very tired and unwell.

Sometimes bacterial pneumonia develops during a viral infection. If this happens, your child will usually have a cold for a few days, and then become more unwell quite quickly.

When should I seek help for my child with pneumonia?

If you are worried that your child may have pneumonia, see a health professional.

When do I need to see a health professional urgently?

See a health professional urgently if your child:

• is under 3 months old
• is having trouble breathing
• is having less than half their normal feeds
• looks unwell
• suddenly gets worse after beginning to get better

When should I call 111?

Call 111 within New Zealand (use the appropriate emergency number in other countries) and ask for urgent medical help if your child:

• is blue around the mouth
• is struggling to breathe
• is hard to wake
• is floppy

How is pneumonia diagnosed?

A health professional can usually diagnose pneumonia after looking at your child and listening to their chest. Sometimes, they may arrange a chest x-ray which will usually show the pneumonia.

If your child looks very unwell, and especially if they're very young, the health professional may ask you to take them to hospital.

What is the treatment for pneumonia?

Your health professional will give antibiotics to your child if they have bacterial pneumonia. Health professionals may use antibiotics when it is not clear whether your child's pneumonia is viral or bacterial. 

Some tamariki may need support with their breathing and feeding. 

How can I care for my child with pneumonia at home?

If your child is miserable because of pain or fever, you can give paracetamol to make them more comfortable. You must follow the dosage instructions on the bottle. It is dangerous to give more than the recommended dose.

Your child will need rest to help them recover from pneumonia. Encourage them to drink fluids.

If your health professional has given your child antibiotics, make sure they take all the doses until finished.

Keep your child with pneumonia away from other tamariki, so they don't pass the infection to others.

How long does pneumonia last?

Tamariki usually take a couple of weeks to fully recover. The cough may last up to 4 weeks but should gradually be getting better over this time.

Take your child back to a healh professional if:

• you are worried that the cough is getting worse again
• the cough has not stopped after 4 weeks
• your child has had pneumonia before

A long-lasting cough, coughing up phlegm, or repeated pneumonia can be a sign of bronchiectasis. This is a type of scarring in the lungs.

See KidsHealth's information on bronchiectasis.

Are there likely to be any complications from pneumonia?

Most tamariki make a full recovery from pneumonia with no lasting effects.

A small number of tamariki get complications and need to go to hospital for treatment. 

How can pneumonia be prevented?

Immunisation

Immunisation helps to prevent some serious causes of pneumonia, in particular, immunisation against the following diseases:

• pneumococcal disease
• whooping cough
• flu
• Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b)

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding your baby protects them from getting pneumonia by boosting their immune system. Breastfeeding beyond 4 months of age offers the best protection.

Smoke-free environment

Make sure your child's environment is smoke-free. This will help reduce the chance of your child getting pneumonia. If you want to give up smoking:

• call the free Quitline on 0800 778 778 or text 4006
• check out the Quitline/Me Mutu website
• ask your health professional

A warm house

Keeping the house smoke-free, mould-free, dry, warm and well-insulated will also decrease your child's risk of developing pneumonia.

Read about keeping your home warm and dry

Treatment for long-lasting conditions

Make sure your child keeps up with their treatment for any medical conditions such as asthma.

Clean hands

Make sure everyone in the whānau washes their hands regularly and thoroughly, and dries them well.