These germs also can spread if someone shares drinking glasses and eating utensils with an infected person or touches their used tissues or handkerchiefs. When these germs are in someone’s mouth or nose, that person can spread the illness through coughs and sneezes. In general, pneumonia is not contagious, but the respiratory viruses and bacteria that lead to it are. Walking pneumonia and viral pneumonia may take 4–6 weeks to go away completely. With treatment, most types of bacterial pneumonia are cured in 1–2 weeks. If your child doesn’t seem to be feeling better in a few days, call your doctor for advice. Over-the-counter cough and cold medicines are not recommended for any kids under 6 years old. If your child is wheezing, the doctor might recommend using breathing treatments.Īsk the doctor before you use a medicine to treat your child's cough. Doing so will help your child recover faster and help prevent the infection from spreading to others. Give the medicine on schedule for as long as directed. If the doctor thinks that your child might have bacterial pneumonia, they will prescribe antibiotics. Do not give aspirin to your child or teen as it's linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and death. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) can help to ease a fever if it makes your child uncomfortable. Kids with pneumonia need to get plenty of rest and drink lots of liquids while the body works to fight the infection. More serious cases might be treated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Hospital treatment can include IV (given into a vein) antibiotics and fluids and breathing treatments. ![]() Some children might need treatment in a hospital if the pneumonia causes a lasting high fever or breathing problems, or if they need oxygen, are vomiting and can’t take the medicine, or have a lung infection that may have spread to the bloodstream. The antibiotic they use depends on the type of bacteria thought to have caused the pneumonia. Someone with viral pneumonia from the flu virus or COVID-19 might get an antiviral medicine if it’s early in the illness.ĭoctors treat bacterial pneumonia with an antibiotic taken by mouth. Antibiotics only work against bacteria, not viruses. People who have viral pneumonia do not need antibiotics. They'll listen to the lungs and might order a chest X-ray. They’ll check the person’s appearance, breathing pattern, and vital signs. How Is Pneumonia Diagnosed?ĭoctors will do an exam to look for pneumonia. ![]() Types of bacterial pneumonia include pneumococcal pneumonia, mycoplasma pneumonia ( walking pneumonia), and pertussis ( whooping cough). ![]() When that happens, kids usually will become sick more quickly, starting with a sudden high fever, cough, and sometimes fast breathing. Less often, bacteria can cause pneumonia. ![]() Kids with pneumonia caused by a virus usually have symptoms that happen over time and tend to be mild. Viruses, like the flu or RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), cause most cases of pneumonia.
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