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The Many Causes of Chest Infection in Babies and Children

The Many Causes of Chest Infection in Babies and Children

Chest infection —which can occur after a cold or the flu—are bacterial or viral infections of the lungs or airways. You could also hear the phrase “lower respiratory tract infection” used to describe these conditions. The lung and airways are affected differently by the two major forms of chest infections, bronchitis and pneumonia.

Instead of the specific germ that is responsible for the sickness, chest infections are frequently defined by where they are located in the respiratory system. Depending on which bodily parts are impacted, different outcomes may result. The majority of chest infections are relatively mild, but occasionally they might cause more severe symptoms that may necessitate hospital care or visiting a pneumonia specialist Manchester.

The Many Causes of Chest Infection in Babies and Children

Symptoms of Infants’ Chest Infection

A persistent cough, which often develops following a milder cold or the flu, is the most visible indication of a chest infection. Chest infections in children can sound like wet, chesty coughs. Additionally, children may cough up some mucus, which is often yellow or green in colour.

Fever, wheezing, and producing mucus or phlegm while coughing is possible additional symptoms. Other flu-like symptoms that children may encounter include headaches, appetite loss, exhaustion, and aches and pains. Children suffering from chest infections may occasionally vomit or retch as a result of the strain they are under to cough.

Depending on where in the chest the infection is situated, the symptoms may differ. A wet, hacking cough that discharges green or yellow phlegm is one of the most common symptoms of bronchitis, an infection of the major airways (bronchial tubes) that feed the lungs. Additional symptoms, such as shortness, fast breathing, and chest discomfort, can also be brought on by pneumonia, a lung infection.

The majority of chest infections in kids will go away on their own in a few days or weeks, but some can have dangerous side effects. While the cough often lasts four to six weeks, children should start to feel better within a week to ten days. As your kid recovers from their sickness, you could also notice whether they are still feeling weary or acting a little quieter than normal. But if they don’t recover, you should consult with a chest infection specialist Manchester.

Causes of Baby Chest Infection

An infection of the lungs or airways is referred to as a chest infection. The infection may be brought on by bacteria or viruses, both of which spread through coughs and sneezes as other infections do. The various treatments might be determined by the source of the chest infection.

Since they are ineffective against viruses, antibiotics should only be used for treating chest infections in paediatric children that are brought on by bacteria.

The two most common kinds of chest infections are pneumonia and bronchitis, which are both often brought on by bacterial or viral illnesses. The two main airways entering your lungs, known medically as the bronchial tubes, get infected and become affected by bronchitis.

Pneumonia, an infection of the lungs, can arise from bronchitis as well as from other illnesses like the flu. It can also occur on its own or as a consequence of other infections.

When you are recuperating from one illness, such as the flu, your risk of developing a chest infection increases. One of the reasons why maintaining excellent hygiene is so crucial while your child is unwell is that it can shield them from contracting more diseases. Because their lungs and immune systems have not yet fully developed, babies and young children are more vulnerable to getting chest infections.

Older people, expectant mothers, and those who have other medical issues like asthma are among the populations at increased risk. Even while colds and the flu are more infectious than chest infections, it is still crucial to keep those who have them away from high-risk populations by searching for a “pneumonia specialist near me”.

When to Contact a Chest Infection Specialist?

Call a pneumonia specialist when your child has:

  • Lips or fingernails that are blue or grey in tone
  • Fever exceeding 100.4°F and is younger than six months
  • Breathing difficulty or breathing considerably more quickly than normal
  • The temperature of more than 102°F and is older than 6 months
  • Prolonged fever following antibiotic treatment

We hope this article helps you understand the importance of a pneumonia specialistin order to control and manage chest infection in babies and children.