Why does a child often get pneumonia again? Pneumonia in children. Causes, symptoms, treatment and prevention

Inflammation of the lung tissue, or in other words pneumonia, is a rather complex disease, primarily due to possible consequences. Unlike bronchitis, tracheitis, that is, lesions of the upper elements respiratory system, the development of pneumonia indicates penetration pathogenic microorganism much deeper, namely into the lungs.

The main danger lies in the fact that the affected areas lose the ability to perform their functions, namely to absorb oxygen and release its products. Prolonged inactivity leads to the spread of infection to nearby tissues, which transforms the disease into severe form, which is much more difficult to treat. Learning about a child's diagnosis of pneumonia? Parents immediately begin to actively search for the cause - what could have caused the development of such a serious disease? Knowing about possible risks it is much easier to prevent the development of the disease by taking preventive measures, so let’s find out why children get pneumonia.

Causes of pneumonia in children

Pneumonia occurs as a result of a virus or bacteria entering the respiratory system, which causes inflammation when weakened protective functions. Various pathogens can provoke the development of the disease, including:

the most common cause is pneumococcus (or streptococcus pneumoniae);

This is what pneumococcus looks like under a microscope

Staphylococcus aureus;
various viruses, including the influenza virus;
some types of mushrooms;
legionella, etc.

Pneumonia - dangerous for child's body disease and this is confirmed by statistics. Every year, more than 150 million cases of this disease are registered worldwide among patients in childhood, and in 2% of cases death occurs. Among the causes of child mortality, pneumonia accounts for a significant share of 20%.

Pneumonia pathogens can reach the lungs through three possible ways. First of all, we are talking about the ingress of a microorganism with the volume of inhaled air - in this case, they speak of the development of primary pneumonia. If the cause of the disease is an infection that has moved into the respiratory system from another source located nearby, then we are talking about secondary pneumonia. There is a third option, when inflammatory processes occur against the background of changes in the lungs’ own microflora.

Doctors describe risk factors that increase the likelihood of a child developing pneumonia:

diabetes;
smoking (not only active, but also passive);

Passive smoking is no less dangerous for a child than active smoking

chronic diseases of the respiratory system;
postoperative conditions, especially if the intervention was performed on the chest;
Age itself is a risk factor - most often children under the age of 6 suffer from this disease.

Most main question– why does the child often get sick? The development of the disease and the form of its course are largely influenced by other diseases and disorders present in the child’s body. The following may influence:

various forms of immunodeficiency;
frequent cases of ARVI, especially in infancy;
lack of oxygen in the fetus during intrauterine development;
fact of transfer by mother infectious diseases during pregnancy;
oncological diseases;
frequent cases of otitis in purulent form;
Availability birth defects, especially organs such as the lungs and heart.

Risk factors that create favorable conditions for the development of pneumonia

The most common bacterium causing inflammation lungs is pneumococcus, and a special vaccine has been developed against it. The vaccination is given to children if they are often sick, and thanks to it the risk of developing acute respiratory infections is reduced by approximately 2 times and the risk of pneumonia by 6 times.

Weakening immune defense, which creates a favorable environment for the development of bacteria, can provoke not only other diseases, but also poor nutrition. It is very important to ensure that the child receives everything from food essential vitamins and minerals, and if this is impossible for one reason or another, then you need to select vitamin complex and give it extra. Living in polluted, damp dwellings, polluted air in a room where a child is constantly present (this often happens when using biofuel for heating) also creates favorable conditions for the development of respiratory diseases.

Why did the baby get pneumonia?

Attitude towards children infancy should be special, since they are the ones most vulnerable to infections. Pneumonia in infants increases the risk significantly serious complications and this is due, first of all, to physiological characteristics(the lumen of the larynx, trachea, nasal passages are very narrow, the elements of the respiratory system themselves are still short, the mucous membrane is prone to rapid swelling, and sputum discharge is complicated). Most often, in infants, pneumonia develops against the background of another disease (often the disease is a complication of influenza or whooping cough). Hypothermia can also cause pneumonia in a baby.

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For most parents, pneumonia in children is associated with serious and even fatal disease. It is believed that the disease mainly occurs from hypothermia and cannot be prevented. Is this really so, we will examine it in the article.

The etiology of the disease is due not only direct causes of pathology, but also by the age of the child, as well as predisposing factors.

Causes of pneumonia in children:

a weakened immune system due to poor nutrition, frequent infections, or other reasons;
congenital or acquired immunodeficiency conditions;
frequent infectious diseases such as acute respiratory infections, otitis or tonsillitis;
unfavorable living conditions (for example, polluted air, cigarette smoke).

Risk the incidence of pneumonia in newborns increases in such situations:

pathology of pregnancy on the maternal side (placental insufficiency) and on the fetal side (asphyxia);
chronic diseases mothers (including infectious ones) before or during childbirth;
congenital malformations, especially of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems;
respiratory distress syndrome;
deficiency of surfactant (a mixture of substances lining the alveoli of the lungs);
aspiration of vomit, mucus.

Pathogenetically pneumonia develops as a result of contact of the pathogen with tissues respiratory organs . Such pathogens can be bacteria, viruses, fungi, helminths and traumatic factors ( chemical burns, physical influences). In the clinic the nature and method of development of the disease is important.

Distinguish 4 forms pneumonia:

typical, with the classic mechanism of infection and expected course;
atypical when the pathogens are unusual types of bacteria. This complicates diagnosis and treatment;
aspiration, which can occur during regurgitation (flow of stomach contents into Airways), swallowing mucus or vomit. This type of pneumonia is accompanied chemical exposure on the organs of the respiratory system due to impurities of hydrochloric acid of the stomach;
hospital, occurring a few days after admission to the hospital. This type of pneumonia is a severe form of the disease, since its pathogens are susceptible to constant influence disinfectants, which means they have great resistance to drugs.

On a note! The mechanism of development in all species is the same: the infectious agent enters the respiratory tract, destroys the protective barrier, followed by in the lung tissue and forms a focus of inflammation. The infection subsequently spreads throughout the body, including the lungs (primary pneumonia).

In addition to this development of the disease, it happens that pneumonia occurs against the background of other diseases (for example, ARVI). They are called secondary. If your child is sick often or for a long time viral infections, the body’s defenses do not cope with their function and against their background bacterial inflammation develops. In such cases, the disease is difficult to treat.

Frequent pneumonia: why relapse occurs

Pneumonia has one peculiarity: often after recovery, relapses occur. This happens by various reasons. Depending on the period of resumption of the disease, distinguish between repeated and recurrent pneumonia.

Repeated called inflammation if it occurs after complete clinical recovery. The reasons may be:

weak immunity;
abnormalities of the heart (poor blood supply);
and chronic lung diseases (bronchiectasis);
cystic fibrosis (provides favorable conditions for the proliferation of microorganisms).

Relapse occurs when the pathogen is not completely defeated by drugs and immunity. The child experiences an imaginary recovery, but then it worsens and the disease becomes more aggressive.

Repeated and recurrent pneumonias very often lead to severe ones (for example, abscess, purulent pleurisy).
Also, the cause of frequent episodes of pathology can be incorrect, incorrectly selected or combined, or not a full course of therapy.

Why a child was born with pneumonia: factors causing pathology

Intrauterine infections are common cause antenatal fetal death. In most cases, children are born alive, but, unfortunately, already sick. Among premature babies, pathology occurs more often than in full-term ones. The main pathogens are microorganisms of the TORCH group of infections, but others may also occur.

Depending on the conditions and period of penetration of the pathogen into the lungs of the fetus, the following are distinguished:

hematogenous transplacental. In such cases, microorganisms penetrate and spread through the placenta mainly due to infection of the mother’s body with a generalized infection (rubella, herpes);
antenatal. The infectious agent enters the lungs through ingestion of amniotic fluid by the fetus. In most cases, the causative agent is group B streptococcus;
intrapartum. Infection occurs when a child passes through infected birth canal mainly gram-negative microflora (vaginitis, cervicitis);
postnatal. Such pneumonia is not congenital, but acquired. Immediately after birth, in maternity ward, the pathology department, a newborn or a newborn at home can become infected.

Etiology of pneumonia in children:

How are pathogens transmitted?

The most common transmission mechanism – airborne. Pathogens enter the mucous membranes during coughing or sneezing. In some cases, microorganisms do not cause any harm and live on the mucous membranes of the nose or throat for a long time.

But in other situations, they enter the lungs through the respiratory tract and infect their tissues, forming a focus of inflammation. The infection can also be transmitted transplacentally (from mother to fetus during childbirth). The main pathogens are bacteria, viruses and fungi.

Bacteria

The most common representatives are pneumococci, streptococci, staphylococci. If the disease is of bacterial origin, then the development and course depends on the type of microbe. Some respond well to antibiotic therapy, while others (for example, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) are more resistant.

Minimum treatment is approximately 10-14 days. Sometimes bacterial pathology of the lungs can be complicated by an abscess, purulent pleurisy, sepsis.

What is pneumonia and how to recognize it in your child? Let's try to analyze the etiology in detail of this disease and learn to recognize warning signs.

Pneumonia refers to a number of diseases, united by three distinctive features:

Inflammatory processes that affect and develop in the lungs, while in pathological process The alveoli, which are responsible for gas exchange, are predominantly involved, and exudate accumulates in them.
Presence of breathing disorders (shortness of breath, rapid shallow inhalations and exhalations).
Presence of shadows on x-ray lungs, indicating the presence of infiltrate.

The last characteristic is the main one for defining the disease as pneumonia.

Factors contributing to the occurrence of inflammation in the lungs and the mechanisms of its development can be completely different. They do not affect the diagnosis in any way. The most important thing is the presence clinical signs and x-ray confirmation inflammatory process.

Causes and types of pneumonia in children

The causes of pneumonia always lie in the presence of pathological microflora. In 9 cases out of 10 we are talking about bacteria, the remaining 10% are divided between viruses and fungi. The most dangerous viral agents are parainfluenza, adenovirus and influenza.

The following are distinguished: clinical types pneumonia:

Community-acquired- unrelated to medical institution, picked up and developing at home.
Hospital(in-hospital) - development occurs within 3 days from the moment of admission to the hospital or from the moment of discharge. The danger of this form is that pathogens in in this case are microorganisms that are accustomed to existing in contact with pharmaceuticals. In order to identify such microorganisms and develop methods to combat them, microbiological monitoring is carried out in the hospital at regular intervals.
Intrauterine- infection of the fetus occurs in the womb. Clinical symptoms often appear in the first three days after birth.

Each of these groups is characterized by its own set of probable pathogens.

Community-acquired pneumonia can be caused by:

At the age of 0 to 6 months - viral particles or E. coli;
From six months to 6 years - rarely - Haemophilus influenzae, more often - pneumococci;
From 6 to 15 years old, pneumococcus remains the most likely activator of the disease.

Chlamydia, pneumocystis or mycoplasma can also provoke pneumonia at home at any age.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is usually caused by:

Staphylococcus aureus;
gram-negative bacteria;
opportunistic microorganisms with artificial ventilation lungs.

Childhood pneumonia most often appears in the presence of the following provoking factors:

tobacco smoke, which surrounds the child with parents who smoke, rare ventilation of the living area and infrequent walks in the fresh air;
hit breast milk into the respiratory tract (in infants);
infectious diseases of the mother (the lungs of the fetus are affected by chlamydia, as well as the herpes virus);
lesions in the body that are chronic (laryngitis, tonsillitis) and frequent illnesses associated with inflammatory processes (bronchitis, otitis, acute respiratory infections);
hypothermia of the body;
hypoxia suffered during the birth process;
conditions characterized by decreased immunity;
oncological diseases;
lack of a balanced healthy diet;
living in unsanitary conditions.

Primary symptoms of childhood pneumonia

In a child, the first signs of pneumonia are associated with hyperthermia. An increase in body temperature is considered the body's reaction to the onset of infectious process. High temperatures are more common, but there are also cases of minor increases.

Pneumonia occurs in both acute and chronic forms.

Signs of acute form

For acute course characterized by rapid development of the inflammatory process, accompanied by pronounced symptoms. The disease spreads throughout all body systems.

Dyspnea. The child begins to breathe quickly and shallowly.
Cough. At first it is dry and unproductive, then gradually moisturizes and sputum appears.
Disorders from the outside nervous system- headaches, insomnia, tearfulness, convulsive syndrome, increased irritability, loss of consciousness, delirium.
Cyanosis. Blue lips and skin caused by oxygen starvation.
Intoxication of the body - lack of appetite, lethargy, fast fatiguability, increased sweating.
Cardiovascular insufficiency is expressed in a decrease blood pressure, coldness of hands and feet, weak and rapid pulse.

Chronic form

Often appears as a result of an acute course of the disease, prolonged treatment or accompanied by complications. Character traits- irreversible structural changes in the tissues of the lungs, deformation of the bronchi. It occurs more often in children under three years of age.

Chronic pneumonia is divided into minor forms of the disease and bronchiectasis type.

Symptoms of small forms:

temperature - subfebrile;
periods of exacerbation - once every six months to a year;
wet cough, often productive, sputum containing mucus or pus, but may be absent;
general characteristics - the condition has no violations, intoxication of the body is not observed.

Symptoms of bronchiectasis type:

exacerbations occur every 2-4 months;
temperature can be over 38 degrees;
cough is wet and productive. The amount of sputum can reach up to 100 ml;
general characteristic - there may be a lag in physical development and the presence of signs of chronic intoxication.

No hyperthermia

Pneumonia can occur without fever. This type of disease is typical for children with weak immune system and undeveloped defense mechanisms. Childhood pneumonia that occurs without fever is not contagious; it does not have an infectious component transmitted by airborne droplets.

Classification of the disease

Focal- develops against the background of infectious viral diseases in children aged 1 to 3 years. Clinical picture: unproductive deep cough, the focus forms more often on the right than on the left. Treated with antibiotics for about 2-3 weeks.
Segmental- the lung is partially damaged, the child has no appetite, sleep is disturbed, general lethargy and tearfulness are observed. The cough often does not appear immediately, making early diagnosis difficult.
Share- affects the lung lobes.
Drain- a pathological process that begins in different lobes of the lung, merges into a single lesion.
Total - lung tissue is completely affected.
Lobarnaya- affects the left and right lung equally. Accompanied painful sensations, secretion of rust-colored sputum, redness of the face on one side and the presence of a red rash along the torso.
Staphylococcal- affects children itself early age. Symptoms: shortness of breath, gagging, coughing, wheezing, audible to the naked ear. Timely treatment begins to produce results within 2 months, followed by ten days of rehabilitation.

Diagnostics and laboratory tests

If pneumonia is suspected for diagnosis accurate diagnosis conduct clinical, laboratory and x-ray examinations.

Examination stages:

Treatment of childhood pneumonia

Treatment of the disease directly depends on its etiology.

Bacterial pneumonia requires the use of antibiotics medicines. The course of treatment usually lasts 10-14 days. If the prescribed drug does not produce an effect within two days, it is immediately changed to another.

Viral pneumonia cannot be treated with antibiotics because viruses are immune to their effects. Complex therapy includes:

drugs that reduce fever;
diluting sputum and promoting its removal from the lungs;
medications that relax the muscles of the bronchi and relieve bronchospasm;
antiallergic medications.

In particularly complex advanced cases, emergency hospitalization and artificial ventilation of the lungs using a special device may be required. If complications do not appear, the little patient will recover within 2-4 weeks.

Pneumonia can be prevented through vaccination. Vaccination given for preventive purposes can reduce the risk of colds, pneumonia and bronchitis.

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