Many people simply do not believe that pneumonia can occur without coughing and fever. Not knowing about the mechanism of the body's resistance to pathogenic microflora, a person tends to consider such a phenomenon as absurd. But in reality, is there pneumonia without coughing in children? Contrary to popular belief, this condition is quite possible and is not so rarely diagnosed, including in newborn babies. That is why all parents should know the symptoms of latent pneumonia in children without coughing in order to detect the disease in time and prevent the development of he alth-threatening consequences.
Some information
It should be understood that a cough is not a disease, but a symptom of it. In fact, it plays the role of a kind of protection in the body. It is due to him that the sputum accumulated in the lungs gradually comes out of them. So is there pneumonia without coughing in children? The answer will be positive. And this phenomenon is easy to explain. In fact, pneumonia in a child occurs without coughing and, accordingly, without sputum in the lungs, if the natural reflex was somehow suppressed.
In such situationspathology usually provokes a strong increase in temperature.
It is noteworthy that any kind of disease can occur without this symptom. In other words, with any type of pneumonia, a child may not have a characteristic cough. There may be several reasons for this: either the immune system is weakened to such an extent that the defense mechanisms simply do not start, or the natural reflex is suppressed by antitussive drugs, which may be the initial prerequisite for the development of inflammation. In addition, many parents are faced with a latent form of pneumonia after an untreated pathology.
What is the danger of such a disease
The activity of pathogenic bacteria contributes to the occurrence of pneumonia. This defect is considered quite common and occurs in about 5-6 children out of 1000. If the pathology is detected in time and the correct therapy is started, it is not so difficult to cope with it. But if pneumonia occurs without a cough, it can take too long to detect. As a result, the clinical picture becomes more complicated, which can lead to a host of negative consequences. Especially when it comes to a small child. No wonder this disease is still considered deadly all over the world.
Pneumonia without cough in children can provoke the development of kidney, heart, respiratory, liver failure. Other common complications of this disease include:
- hepatitis;
- anemia;
- toxic shock;
- mastoiditis;
- encephalitis;
- psychosis;
- sepsis;
- otitis media;
- meningitis.
There are other and equally dangerous complications of pneumonia without coughing in children, which appear extremely rarely. These include:
- bacteriomy - the penetration of pathogenic microorganisms into the bloodstream;
- exudative pleurisy - accumulation of fluid directly in the lungs;
- lung abscess - accumulation of pus in the affected organ;
- impaired respiratory function - the child simply cannot inhale the normal amount of air.
However, it is worth saying that with proper treatment, babies recover pretty quickly. Good he alth, full appetite and good mood return to them.
Reasons for appearance
The risk of pneumonia is extremely high in young children due to:
- physiological features;
- regular stomach problems and abdominal breathing that makes gas exchange difficult;
- immature immunity.
In an older child, pneumonia can be caused by:
- transferred infectious and viral diseases;
- immunity weakening;
- stress situations;
- passive smoking;
- hypothermia;
- vitamin deficiency;
- penetration into the lungs of food, vomit, foreign objects.
In addition, sometimes you can catch pneumonia and air-drip way. In children, the disease is transmitted:
- through dirty hands;
- through the water system;
- by contact with a person who has influenza or pneumococcal disease.
Symptoms of pneumonia without coughing
In fact, the signs of this disease in both children and adults are about the same. The only difference is that an independent person can go to the doctor and be examined, noticing a number of other symptoms. But in young children, it is much more difficult to identify or at least suspect this pathology. After all, little patients cannot report their indisposition, so it remains only to hope for the attentiveness of their parents.
If the baby's immunity is critically weakened, then there may not be a temperature either. That is why it is extremely difficult to detect pneumonia without coughing in a child before 2 years of age. According to Dr. Komarovsky, the following symptoms should alert parents:
- cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle;
- excessive sleepiness;
- weakness, fatigue;
- intense thirst, dry lips;
- unaccustomed lethargy, loss of interest in favorite activities and toys;
- lack of appetite.
These are the main signs of pneumonia without coughing in a child.
How to be suspicious
You can also judge the appearance of pneumonia without coughing in children by the following signs:
- not feeling well;
- lung mobility on one side;
- pain inmuscles;
- chest discomfort;
- breathing problems.
Of course, only an older child can tell about such manifestations. Although in newborns, the symptoms of pneumonia without coughing can be similar. That is why parents should be vigilant and sensitive to any changes in the behavior of the crumbs. Particular care should be taken after a cold and hypothermia.
How to detect pathology
X-ray is deservedly considered the most common and reliable way to diagnose latent pneumonia. On the pictures you can see several signs that indicate the presence of inflammation:
- pathological expansions in the root zone;
- too transparent margins;
- dark places with irregular shapes and blurry contours.
With the help of radiography, you can determine the affected areas, the nature of the foci of inflammation and the severity of the disease. But even this exact study is considered not so ideal. In addition, its use is limited by too high a load on a weakened children's body.
Other diagnostic methods may be used to detect pneumonia:
- blood tests to measure glucose and liver enzymes;
- microbiological blood testing;
- sputum bronchoscopy;
- urinalysis;
- measuring oxygen saturation.
Pneumonia without cough in children is oftenleads to death due to untimely diagnosis and therapy. If you suspect this pathology, you need to rely on the results of all studies in the aggregate and follow all the doctor's instructions exactly, and not try to determine the diagnosis and cure the child on your own. It is possible to hope for a full recovery only under this condition.
Treatment of pneumonia without cough in a child
Inflammation of the lungs is a pathology that requires urgent antibiotic therapy. That is why the treatment of pneumonia occurs most often in a hospital. Here are the main indications for hospitalization of a child:
- respiratory failure;
- all sorts of complications;
- impaired blood flow;
- acute form of intoxication;
- temperature over 38 degrees, which lasts a long time;
- disability, malformations;
- chronic;
- baby is less than 3 years old.
Pneumonia without cough in a child requires symptomatic and antibiotic therapy. Treatment of young children at home is not recommended - a specialist should monitor the condition of the baby.
Use of antibiotics
Immediately after examining the child, the doctor empirically prescribes antibacterial drugs to the small patient, relying on his experience and the collected anamnesis. The effectiveness of the selected medication can be determined 1-2 days after application. The right remedy will bring the desired effect: the child's temperature will drop and overall well-being will improve. In the treatment of pneumonia without coughingdrugs are used in the form of injections, and after the condition of the crumbs is normalized - in oral form.
In the treatment of pneumonia in children, the following drugs are used:
- penicillin and its artificial substitutes - "Ampicillin", "Amoxilav", "Amoxicillin";
- macrolides - "Azithromycin", "Erythromycin";
- cephalosporins - "Cefix", "Cephalexin".
Symptomatic treatment
This part of therapy is necessary to eliminate existing symptoms, alleviate the condition in general and speed up the healing process. For this purpose, the doctor may additionally prescribe to the child:
- expectorants;
- antihistamines;
- bronchodilators;
- prebiotics;
- vitamin complexes;
- antipyretic;
- mucolytic;
- anesthetics;
- immunomodulators.
Physiotherapy
Together with medicines, physiotherapy procedures - electrophoresis, microwave, exercise therapy, inductometry and massages can be prescribed for better effect. They are necessary to speed up recovery, maintain immunity and reduce the likelihood of developing all sorts of complications. Most often, doctors recommend a set of measures:
- inhalations - modern ultrasonic nebulizers are used in clinics today, "Pulmicort" and "Berodual" are prescribed for stopping shortness of breath and hoarseness for babies, for removing sputum -appropriate preparations and mineral water;
- electrophoresis - supplemented with antibiotics and other medicines, helps eliminate hoarseness and remove phlegm;
- impulsive UHF-therapy - necessary to stimulate blood flow, reduce the severity of the inflammatory process and relieve swelling;
- chest massage - indicated for bronchial drainage;
- breathing exercises - helps the baby to breathe easier.
It should be taken into account that physiotherapeutic procedures have some contraindications: the presence of malignant neoplasms, reduced blood clotting, fever, neurotoxicosis. That is why the complex of such events is selected on an individual basis.
Treatment at home
The main tasks of parents in case of a child's illness are to perform all prescribed procedures, take prescribed drugs and create favorable conditions for recovery. Remember that the diet of the crumbs should be balanced and varied, the air in the room should be humid and cool, and the drinking regimen should be quite plentiful. If the baby has a fever, he must comply with bed rest.
Also remember that you can not give the crumbs antipyretic drugs systematically - such therapy will not make it possible to really determine the effectiveness of the use of antibiotics and dull the natural response of the immune system.
Rehab
After recovery, every child needs time torecovery. At the same time, parents should take care to create favorable conditions for successful rehabilitation and resort to the following activities:
- heat treatment;
- inhalation sessions;
- elimination of foci of chronic infection - sinusitis, caries, tonsillitis;
- physiotherapy exercises, massage;
- oxygen cocktails;
- regular walks outside without the risk of hypothermia;
- taking vitamin complexes and immunomodulating agents.
Prevention
You can prevent the onset of pneumonia in a child by increasing immunity. To do this, you can resort, for example, to the hardening scheme. It is also recommended to reduce the level of seasonal morbidity with the help of sports. In addition, parents should make sure that their child has minimal contact with sick peers. Vaccination is considered another way to avoid pneumonia in a baby.
