Is it good to take antibiotics for pneumonia in children?

The weather changes constantly in autumn, and if you are not careful, you may catch a cold or even pneumonia. This is even more difficult for children whose immune function is not yet fully developed. Xiao Xin, director of the Pediatrics Department of the Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, reminds parents to pay attention to the prevention of pneumonia in children in autumn and winter. If the disease is found, it should be treated early, otherwise the prognosis will be poor.

Choose the route of administration based on the severity of pneumonia

Pneumonia can be mild or severe. Common symptoms include coughing and shortness of breath, which may be accompanied by digestive symptoms such as loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. Auscultation of the lungs may produce fine wet sounds. If shortness of breath worsens, the nasal wings flare, and dense fine wet sounds can be heard in both lungs, the condition should be considered serious. If complications such as heart failure, respiratory failure, hypoxic encephalopathy, and toxic intestinal paralysis occur, it indicates severe pneumonia.

Director Xiao Xin said that patients with mild pneumonia can be treated by oral antibiotics or nebulization inhalation. Nebulization inhalation can greatly reduce side effects through local medication and prevent the recurrence of wheezing. Director Xiao Xin emphasized that many people stop nebulization treatment after one or two times because they feel that their condition has improved. This practice is wrong, because there are certain treatment courses for pneumonia through nebulization inhalation. Pneumonia patients must persist in treatment and never give up halfway. In addition to nebulization inhalation treatment, we must also pay attention to basic treatment, such as cough and phlegm, and anti-infection.

"For patients with serious conditions, the drug must be administered through intravenous drip. For patients with severe asthma, the use of methylprednisolone and bronchodilators can have a good therapeutic effect," added Director Xiao Xin.

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Antibiotics should be used rationally to treat pneumonia in children

Pediatric pneumonia is the most common lower respiratory tract infection in children. It can be divided into bacterial infection, viral infection, and other microorganisms based on the cause of the disease. Among them, pneumonia caused by bacteria and viruses is the most common.

The treatment of pediatric pneumonia should be based on the different pathogens. Antibiotics should be used to treat pediatric pneumonia caused by bacteria, but not for pneumonia caused by viruses. Many parents now believe that antibiotics have serious side effects and are afraid to give their children antibiotics. "Antibiotics are not a "disaster". They should be used when necessary, but be careful not to use them indiscriminately. As long as there is evidence of bacterial infection, they can be used." Director Xiao Xin emphasized that antibiotics are a double-edged sword. As long as they are used properly, they will help with treatment, otherwise they will develop drug resistance.

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Pneumonia in children is best treated in hospital

Many parents are reluctant to have their children hospitalized due to work or other busy matters, and most of them receive treatment in outpatient clinics. Director Xiao Xin emphasized that the effects of outpatient treatment and inpatient treatment are very different. Because many antibiotics that can be used for children (such as cephalosporins) are time-dependent antibiotics, they must be used several times a day to be effective. In outpatient treatment, antibiotics may only be used once a day, which is not in line with the medication standards, and the treatment effect is not obvious, and it is easy to develop drug resistance. Therefore, it is recommended that children with pediatric pneumonia should be hospitalized to ensure continuous antibiotic treatment.

It is also necessary to emphasize that some parents find that their children's condition has improved and choose to leave the hospital after two or three days of hospitalization. This is unscientific. The treatment of pediatric pneumonia generally takes 7-10 days.