Pneumonia is a lung infection and it can be mild or serious as for its effect. It is generally more common in children younger than 5 years old. There is no doubt there are so many symptoms of pneumonia that a child experiences including cough along with mucus, vomiting or diarrhea, chest pain, loss of appetite, tiredness, and fever. But do you know the symptoms appear as the stage of pneumonia? In this article, we are discussing the stages of pneumonia in a child so that in the case of your child you can figure out and reach of doctor as soon as possible.
Children are more prone to diseases. There is no doubt if parents are not paying attention to them they can get any of the diseases and suffer with them. The same is the condition of pneumonia. Let’s have a look!
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Stages of pneumonia:
It is important to understand that there are 4 stages of pneumonia in a child and accordingly the condition progresses and is reversed. These stages are as follows:
Stage 1: Congestion
Congestion is the primary stage. In this condition, the lungs become heavy and congested due to infectious fluid occupying the place in air sacs. This stage occurs within 24 hours of infection and the few white blood cells available in the lungs try to fight the infection. But this turns out to be impossible and the symptoms in link with this condition develop. Symptoms that develop in the congestion stage are:
- Coughing
- A feeling of heaviness in the chest
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Rapid breathing
Stage 2: Red hepatization
Red hepatization is the condition where red blood cells and immune cells enter the lungs filled with fluid to fight the infection and the lungs turn out to be red in appearance. This stage usually occurs after 48 to 72 hours and lasts for almost 4-6 days. In this condition, the lungs become more dry, granular, and airless and sometimes have an appearance like a liver. In this condition, the symptoms that take place include:
- Increasingly productive cough
- Shortness of breath
- Muscle aches
- Headache
- Extreme fatigue
- Fever
- Chills
- Sweating
- Blue lips or fingernails due to low levels of oxygen in the blood
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Stage 3: Grey hepatization
This is the stage where red blood cells start to disintegrate and the lungs appear grey in color. This occurs after 4-6 days and continues for almost 8 to 10 days and sometimes the color of the lungs appears to be yellow instead of Grey. There are few chances that the symptoms may still persist and people have to deal with them.
Stage 4: Resolution:
Resolution is the final recovery stage and takes place after 8 to 10 days. In this condition, the Fluids and breakdown products from cell destruction are started to reabsorb. Also, the macrophages present help to clear the white blood cells and leftover debris. There is a possibility the person coughs up debris and within a few days, the Airways and air sacs return to normal lung function.
Note:
People need to reach out to the doctor after the resolution stage so that they can figure out whether the lungs and air sacs are functioning properly or not. If there is any inflammation over the air sacs or lungs it can lead to chronic diseases.
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Whom to approach?
If your child is suffering from pneumonia and you are not sure about the doctor you can approach Then visit Dr. Pankaj Gulati at Breath clinic in Jaipur.
He is one of the best pulmonologists in Jaipur you can approach for the diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia in children. Tell him about all the problems your child is experiencing so that he can figure out whether the symptoms are in link with pneumonia or any other health-related issue.
It is advisable to follow the advice he is giving in the case of your child. As if you are being irresponsible it can lead to some other problem. Just take the medication and follow the devices and for sure your child will be alright within a few days!
FAQ: Stages of pneumonia in a child!
Q.1 How fast does pneumonia progress?
The condition of pneumonia progresses rapidly and the symptoms develop within 24 to 48 hours. There are a few cases where the symptoms may progress slowly and appear after 72 hours or more.
Q.2 Is pneumonia contagious yes or no?
Pneumonia is a contagious disease like a cold or flu when it is caused by infectious microbes. But if it takes place due to inhalation of chemical fumes then it is not contagious.
Q.3 What antibiotics treat pneumonia?
In general, the antibiotic doctor suggests to patients include Azithromycin and Erythromycin. However, the rest depends on the condition of the patient and the stage in which they are.
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Q.4 Can pneumonia be treated at home?
There are no instances where you can treat pneumonia at home because expert advice is a must to get rid of this condition in the case of children and adults.
Q.5 What food is good for pneumonia?
A protein-rich food is good for people dealing with pneumonia. They can consider the food items having high protein including seeds, beans, white meat, and so on. There are so many foods that have anti-inflammatory properties. hence these turn out to be the best to deal with pneumonia.
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