What Are the Causes of Pneumonia in Children?
The lung infection pneumonia affects four million Americans each year; more than 50,000 pneumonia patients die. Pneumonia can be a life-threatening ailment in children, causing the air sacs within one or both lungs to fill with fluid. It may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, or something else entirely, depending on the age of the child.
Other People Are Reading
-
Pneumonia in Newborn Babies
-
Bacteria are the most likely cause of pneumonia in a newborn. Newborns can contract pneumonia by being exposed to bacteria in the birth canal or while in the uterus. If the mother's vagina and cervix are contaminated with bacteria, such as a group B streptococcus bacterium, the bacteria can migrate into the uterus and affect the child. One of these infections will become noticable during the first few hours.
Another way for a newborn to contract the disease is to be exposed to bacteria during birth, while passing through the birth canal. Such an infection may take a day or two to appear.
The bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis can cause pneumonia in a newborn baby, and is often found with pinkeye or conjunctivitis. This pneumonial infection is most often found in a baby just two or three weeks of age.
Pneumonia in Infants
-
Infants can easily acquire a bacterial or viral infection that could lead to pneumonia. In a recent study, bacteria was found to cause most of the pneumonia cases (60 percent), and viruses were found in 48 percent (some children had both viral and bacterial infections).
Bacterial infections remain a concern in babies. Along with group B streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphlycoccus aureus can cause pneumonia in children of this age group. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but tests must be run to determine the strain of bacteria that is causing the illness. The doctor may prescribe ampicillin or erythromycin.
Unlike newborns, infants often suffer viral infections that lead to pneumonia. Rhinovirus, which can cause the common cold, and the influenza virus, which causes the flu, can both cause pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can also cause pneumonia, and is very contagious.
The parainfluenza virus can cause either pneumonia or croup, which is an infection affecting structures of the respiratory system other than the lungs. -
Pneumonia in Toddlers
-
Because they are out and about in the world, toddlers are frequently exposed to the bacteria and viruses that cause pneumonia. They may get what is known as "community-acquired pneumonia" (in contrast to hospital-acquired pneumonia) from family members, other children at day care, or infected adults.
At this age, pneumonia may be caused by bacteria (group A streptococci bacteria, Streptococcus pheumoniae in particular), viruses (including parainfluenza, influenza, rhinovirus and RSV), and the organism Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Pneumonia in Older Children
-
Mycoplasma pneumoniae can cause up to half the cases of pneumonia seen in people between ages 5 and 20 during the summer months, although large outbreaks tend to take place in late summer and fall.
Viral pneumonia is seen in this age group, although pneumonia caused by RSV is rare. Most often, viral pneumonia will be caused by adenovirus, influenza virus, or parainfluenza virus.
Most pneumonia infections in this age group are bacterial, specifically pneumococcal. Because adolescents may outgrow their resistance to whooping cough (pertussis), a Bordetella pertussis infection may result in pneumonia in this age group.
Children of Special Consideration
-
Some children are of special concern when it comes to pneumonia.
Children who have weakened immune systems are more susceptible to infections in general. Children who have HIV or sickle cell disease are in this group. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that these children receive the vaccine against pneumococcus, the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine 7, beginning at two months of age and, after that, receive it along with the standard schedule of vaccinations.
Children with cystic fibrosis may develop bacterial pneumonia caused by Staphlycoccus aureus, Burkholderia capacia, and Pseudonomas aeruginosa.
Although there are relatively few cases of fungal pneumonia among children, certain children are at risk. A Swedish study found that children who are undergoing bone marrow transplants are at special risk for pneumonia, particularly fungal pneumonia. Children who live in certain areas may be more at risk for fungal infections. For example, children who live in areas near bird farms may inhale the spore of Histoplasma capsulatum, which can cause pneumonia or histoplasmosis. Children living in the Mississippi or Ohio River valleys may be exposed to spores of the yeast Blastomyces dermatitides.
In some cases, such as a child who has gastroesophogeal reflux disease, pneumonia can result if the child aspirates fluid.
Signs and Symptoms
-
Parents and caregivers should keep watch for signs of pneumonia. It may seem at first to be a cold, accompanied by a cough. Newborns rarely cough, however, so looking for coughing is not a reliable sign that something is wrong; instead, the baby may be fussy and show little interest in food.
At all ages, watch for fussiness or crankiness, a general feeling of being unwell, breathing difficulty, fever, chills, loss of appetite, coughing (sometimes resulting in vomiting), and sometimes chest or stomach pain. A bluish tint to the fingernails or the lips is a sign that the body is not getting enough oxygen; get the child to a physician right away.
Although pneumonia can go away on its own, the doctor may prescribe medications. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, viral pneumonia with antiviral medications. The doctor will consider the severity of the infection as well as the child's age and size when determining the proper course of treatment.
-
