How does pneumonia occur?
Most of the times, pneumonia occurs due to a viral or bacterial infection. Common viruses causing pneumonia are influenza virus, parainfluenzae virus, adenovirus and respiratory synctial virus. Common bacteria causing pneumonia are Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Hemophilus influenza and pneumococcus. Most of these germs enter the lungs by inhalation of droplets or air filled by these germs. These germs then lead to irritation and inflammation of the lungs leading to fluid filling up the lungs and pneumonia. What are the symptoms of pneumonia? A child with pneumonia has fever, and cough. On a longer duration, he/she will complain of shortness of breath and chest pain. This is due to oxygen not reaching the blood due to inflamed lungs. Most of the younger children cannot bring up their sputum (phlegm) and swallow it leading to sticky stools. Occasionally, they may vomit after a bout of coughing and the vomit may contain phlegm. Older children may cough out the sputum and it may be green,
