Patient's question:
My baby is not three years and four months old. On Saturday, he had a fever and convulsions. Now, for five consecutive days, he has had high fever but no convulsions. Today, when I went to the hospital, they said it was pneumonia. Do we need to be hospitalized?Doctor's answer:
Pneumonia is a major cause of death in infants and young children. Due to the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the respiratory system in infants, such as narrow trachea and urethral orifices, reduced mucus secretion, poor ciliary activity, underdeveloped elastic tissue, rich vascularization making them more prone to congestion, interstitial growth, fewer alveoli, and lower lung capacity prone to mucus blockage. Their immune function is poor, and protective functions have not fully developed, making infants under one year old more susceptible to pneumonia spreading and merging into both lungs. During the illness, children should maintain sufficient fluid intake and be given liquid foods such as breast milk, cow's milk, rice porridge, and various vitamins and digestive calcium supplements to enhance nutrition and prevent malnutrition. Hospitalization is recommended for easier and more thorough observation of the condition's expansion.