Stop Pneumonia in children- every breath counts!
Author(s): Dr. Aarti MishraAccording to UNICEF, Pneumonia is the single largest infectious killer of children that claimed about 800,000 lives in 2018. More than 50% of these child pneumonia deaths occurred in just five countries- Nigeria...
According to
UNICEF, Pneumonia is the single largest infectious killer of children that
claimed about 800,000 lives in 2018. More than 50% of these child pneumonia
deaths occurred in just five countries- Nigeria (1,62,000), India (1,27,000),
Pakistan (58,000), the Democratic Republic of Congo (40,000) and Ethiopia
(32,000)
Fact Sheet- World Pneumonia Day’ 2019
• Every minute, two children all over
the world die from pneumonia.
• 80% of these deaths occur in children
below two years of age.
• Almost all of these deaths occur in low and
middle-income countries.
• Although
Pneumonia accounts for 15% of all childhood deaths below 5 years of age, it
remains a neglected disease.
• Although
breastfeeding is an important preventive strategy against childhood pneumonia,
only 40% children less than six months old are exclusively breastfed.
• Although
effective immunizations are available to prevent pneumonia, globally 170
million children in low and middle-income countries are not vaccinated against
pneumonia.
The Forum of
International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) has called for ending preventable
pneumonia deaths by 2030.
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is
an acute respiratory infection that affects the lungs. The human lungs are made
up of small sacs or pouches called alveoli, which fill with air when a healthy
person breathes. When a person has pneumonia, the alveoli get filled with fluid
and pus that makes breathing painful and limits the intake of oxygen.
Causes- Pneumonia is caused by a number of
micro-organisms like bacteria, viruses and fungi.
• According
to W.H.O, the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia in children is
Streptococcus Pneumoniae
• Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is
the second most common cause of bacterial pneumonia.
• The most
common viral cause of pneumonia is Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
• In infants
infected with HIV, Pneumocystis jiroveci (a fungus that spreads through air) is
the most common cause of pneumonia.
The WHO fact sheet on pneumonia issues key
facts and information on signs and symptoms, risk factors, treatment and
prevention of this infectious disease.
Transmission- Pneumonia can spread in
a number of ways.
• The bacteria and viruses that are commonly
present in a child's throat or nose can cause infection in the lungs if they
are inhaled.
• These
micro-organisms can also spread through air-borne droplets that are formed due
to coughing or sneezing.
Signs & Symptoms:
• Children
below 5 years of age have cough, fever, difficulty in breathing, fast
breathing; stuffy nose, wheezing, less activity and loss of appetite.
• Infants,
who are very severely ill, may be unable to feed or drink. They may also
experience unconsciousness, convulsions and hypothermia (a medical condition in
which the body temperature becomes very low)
Risk factors for Pneumonia: Children, whose immune system is
weakened, are at a higher risk of developing pneumonia.
a) A child's
immune system may be compromised by malnutrition and pre-existing illnesses
such as measles and HIV infection.
b)
Environmental factors such as parental smoking, living in crowded homes, indoor
air pollution caused by cooking with biomass fuels (such as wood or dung) also
increase a child's susceptibility to pneumonia.
c) According
to data released by WHO in 2018, about 90% of people breathe air that is
contaminated with pollutants. Air pollution is a major risk factor for
childhood pneumonia.
Treatment:
According to
W.H.O, early and correct diagnosis of pneumonia followed by treatment with
antibiotics, referral to a hospital and oxygen treatment, when required can
save many precious lives.
Prevention of Pneumonia-Some
important steps for preventing pneumonia in children are:
a) Exclusive
breastfeeding for the first 4-6 months of life, and sufficient complementary
foods.
b)
Vaccination against pneumonia, measles, Influenza, pertussis (whooping cough)
and diphtheria.
c) Avoid
exposure to tobacco smoke and reduce exposure to indoor air pollution.
d) Early use of anti-retroviral treatment in
HIV-infected children
e)
Prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole for HIV-infected and exposed children, can
reduce the burden of childhood pneumonia.
(Dr. Aarti Mishra is a Medical
Communications Specialist based in Ludhiana)