To know if the baby has viral pneumonia parents should be aware if the flu takes to pass or worsens over 1 week, taking the baby to the pediatrician should this happen.
Also, it is important to go to the pediatrician when the fever does not go away after 2 days, especially when the baby is taking medicines to lower the temperature, like Paracetamol, because even if the pediatrician has diagnosed a flu, it can develop into pneumonia.
Generally, the symptoms of viral pneumonia in the baby begin with constant cough, fever that does not subside, lack of appetite and general malaise, evolving to respiratory problems like increased phlegm, rapid and superficial breathing or difficulty breathing.
Exams to confirm viral pneumonia in the baby
To make sure the baby has viral pneumonia, parents should consult their pediatrician to have their baby's lungs examined, assessing whether the baby is breathing normally or if he or she has a lung infection.
So if your doctor suspects viral pneumonia, he may order other tests, such as chest X-rays or a blood test, to confirm the infection and which organism is causing it, helping to adjust the treatment.
How to care for the baby with viral pneumonia
To take care of the baby with viral pneumonia at home, parents should avoid taking the baby for a walk in the street or public places, keeping him at home for about 2 weeks.
In addition, during treatment it is recommended:
- Make inhalations with saline 2 to 3 times a day or as directed by your pediatrician;
- Encourage the baby to nurse or eat, giving preference to fruits, breast milk or formula;
- Give water to the baby;
- Dress the baby according to temperature, avoiding sudden changes in temperature;
- Do not give more than 1 bath a day in the baby, avoiding drafts;
- Avoid using cough medicines because they can facilitate the accumulation of secretions in the lung.
In more severe cases, where the baby does not want to eat or has a fever above 39 ° C, the pediatrician may recommend hospitalization for oxygen, medicine in the vein and serum.
Learn more about viral pneumonia in:
- Viral pneumonia
- Treatment for viral pneumonia
