Newborn pneumonia is a common respiratory disease in the neonatal period, which poses a serious threat to the health of newborns. This article will analyze neonatal pneumonia in detail from three aspects: cause, symptoms, and treatment, to help parents and medical staff better understand and deal with this disease.
Causes
The causes of neonatal pneumonia are complex and diverse, mainly including the following aspects:
Incomplete Growth and Development
The newborn’s neuroregulatory function, swallowing function, and lung sterilization ability are not yet fully developed. These factors may lead to the occurrence of neonatal pneumonia. For example, newborns have poor swallowing function and are prone to choking on milk, which can easily cause pneumonia if milk enters the lungs. In addition, congenital developmental defects in the newborn’s lungs or congestion of the pulmonary blood vessels can also increase the incidence of pneumonia.
Intrauterine Infection
If the mother is infected with a virus or bacteria during pregnancy, the pathogens can be transmitted to the fetus through tissues such as the placenta or fetal membranes, causing pneumonia in the fetus before birth.
Errors During Delivery
Unexpected conditions or improper handling during delivery, such as labor arrest, premature rupture of membranes, etc., may cause the newborn to inhale amniotic fluid, meconium, or other fluids in the mother’s birth canal, thereby causing lung infection.
Improper Care After Birth
Newborns have weak resistance. If they are not properly cared for after birth, such as malnutrition, catching a cold, direct contact with pneumonia patients, etc., the incidence of neonatal pneumonia may increase.
Symptoms
The symptoms of neonatal pneumonia are atypical and easy to misdiagnose. The main symptoms include:
Mental Depression and Refusal to Eat
Newborns with pneumonia often show symptoms such as mental depression, loss of appetite, lethargy, or irritability. These symptoms may be related to the age of the newborn and the severity of the disease.
Choking, Vomiting, and Foaming
Some newborns will experience choking, vomiting, and foaming after contracting pneumonia. These symptoms may be related to the newborn’s poor swallowing function, lung inflammation, and other factors.
Abnormal Breathing
When a newborn has pneumonia, the respiratory function is affected, and abnormal breathing symptoms such as rapid breathing, flaring of the nasal wings, and the three-point concave sign may occur. Severely ill children may experience symptoms such as shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
Increased Heart Rate
When a newborn has pneumonia, the heart rate may increase due to factors such as lung inflammation and hypoxia. If the heart rate of the child increases to 160-200 beats/minute, be alert to the occurrence of congestive heart failure.
Other Symptoms
Some newborns may also experience bluish areas around the mouth and the root of the nose, and small bubbling sounds in the lungs after contracting pneumonia. These symptoms may be related to the severity of the newborn’s illness and individual differences.
Treatment
The treatment of neonatal pneumonia mainly includes the following aspects:
General Treatment
Strengthen the home care of the child, clean the dry secretions in the nasal cavity in time, and pat the baby’s back regularly to help cough up sputum. Keep the indoor air circulating and keep warm to prevent the child from catching a cold again.
Antibiotic Treatment
Choose appropriate antibiotics for treatment according to the different pathogens. Commonly used antibiotics include erythromycin, penicillin, cephalosporin, etc. However, it should be noted that the use of antibiotics should be carried out according to the doctor’s instructions to avoid abuse and misuse.
Oxygen Therapy
For critically ill children, such as those with respiratory failure, oxygen therapy is required. Sufficient oxygen is inhaled through a machine to maintain the normal respiratory function of the child.
Other Supportive Treatments
Such as transfusing fresh blood or plasma to the child, giving intravenous drips to replenish glucose in the body, etc. These supportive treatments help improve the child’s nutritional status and immune function and promote recovery from the disease.
Conclusion
Neonatal pneumonia is a serious respiratory disease that requires parents and medical staff to pay great attention and deal with it in a timely manner. By understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment, we can better deal with this disease and ensure the healthy growth of newborns.
