![](https://userfiles.steadyhealth.com/images/ic/symptoms-and-treatment-of-walking-pneumonia-in-children.jpg)
Walking pneumonia in children refers to the condition marked by mild inflammation of the lungs, which occurred due to the presence of bacteria called Mycroplasma pneumoniae. There are even 78 different strains of pneumococcus bacteria which may cause the pneumonia in the humans but while some of them are very dangerous, Mycroplasma pneumoniae does not cause severe infection. Pneumonia can be also caused by viruses or fungi or many other types of pathogens, not only by bacteria.
Symptoms of walking pneumonia in children
The children who contract walking pneumonia are not bed-ridden which means that it is not necessary to rest in bed until the recovery. They can freely go out and move about. Therefore, this type of pneumonia is called this way – walking pneumonia.The children who suffer from it in the beginning of the infection may experience the symptoms which are typical for the common cold or the flu. Decreased activity, tiredness, coughing than prolongs and shortness of breath are some of the warning signs of walking pneumonia in children. Furthermore, fever, sore throat and headache are also quite possible to appear in the children suffering from walking pneumonia.
Treatment of walking pneumonia in children
Sometimes the symptoms of walking pneumonia in children gradually disappear but, in some cases, they tend to aggravate so it is necessary to take the child to a doctor and so that the child can receive a proper treatment.Many people are wondering whether walking pneumonia is contagious or not. It is considered that it is only partially contagious since the pathogen causing it may pass from the infected person to the people in the surrounding but the newly infected person just develops common cold or the flu. Only in some rare cases, the newly infected person develops walking pneumonia but only when they neglect the symptoms of common cold and influenza for a long time.The antibiotics are mainly prescribed since they are powerful in killing bacteria which cause the walking pneumonia. Apart from the antibiotics, certain anti-fever medicines may also be given to affected child in order to lower the body temperature which occurs as a body’s reaction to the bacterial infection. Cough suppressants may also be prescribed since the bacterial infection may induce the blockage the normal movement of the lung fluids.Even though this type of pneumonia is considered to be the mildest it should not taken lightly after all since the long negligence of it may put the life of the child at risk.
Your thoughts on this
Loading...