What is acute respiratory infection in children?

This is an automatically translated article.

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Resident Doctor Dang Thi Ngoan - Pediatrician - Neonatologist - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Ha Long International Hospital.

Acute respiratory infection in children is a very common disease, a leading cause of hospitalization and death in young children, especially children under 5 years of age. Therefore, every parent needs to be fully equipped with knowledge about the disease to protect their child's health.

1. What is acute respiratory infection in children?

Acute respiratory infection in children is an acute infection of the airways, that is, the passage from the ears, nose, throat, airways (larynx, trachea, bronchi) to the lungs.
ARIs usually present with cough in children no older than 30 days. The disease is very common and is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in young children, especially those under 5 years of age, in developing countries. It is estimated that a child under the age of 5 years can get ARI from 5-8 times per year.
It is estimated that around the world 4,300 children die from pneumonia every day, every 20 seconds, one child dies from pneumonia, 90% of which are in developing countries.
With good care, most children with ARI will clear up on their own in about 10-14 days. However, about 20-25% of children infected will progress to pneumonia, which requires appropriate antibiotic treatment before serious complications can lead to death.
Acute respiratory infections in children are divided into 2 types:
1.1 Upper respiratory tract infection This is an infection of the ear - nose - throat area, usually caused by a virus, with good care, most children will recover on their own.
1.2 Lower respiratory tract infection This is a respiratory infection including bronchiolitis, pneumonia... In which, pneumonia (pneumonia) is the leading cause of hospitalization and death in children under 5 years of age. Therefore, children need to be diagnosed with pneumonia early for timely treatment and avoid complications.

2. Symptoms of acute respiratory infections in children

The most common symptom of ARI in children is a cough for less than 30 days, which may or may not be accompanied by fever. In addition, children may also have other symptoms such as sore throat, runny nose, stuffy nose, wheezing...
In particular, pneumonia has early symptoms that can be detected in children such as rapid breathing. To know if a child is breathing fast or not, it is necessary to count the child's breathing for 1 minute, using a clock with a second hand. The best results when counting only the baby's breathing while lying still, not fussing, crying.
Recognize tachypnea when:
Children under 2 months: breathing rate from 60 breaths / min or more Children from 2 months to under 12 months: breathing rate from 50 times / minute or more Children from 12 months to under 5 years old: rhythm breathing 40 times / minute or more When seeing a child breathing fast, parents need to take the child to a medical facility for early treatment because this is the earliest symptom of pneumonia.
When pneumonia is severe, the typical symptom is that the child has chest constriction breathing, that is, when the child breathes in, the lower chest will be concave instead of expanding as usual. Children need to be hospitalized immediately because this is a dangerous warning symptom, severe pneumonia requires aggressive treatment to avoid complications and death.

Here are the danger signs that need to be taken to the emergency room right away because the child's life is in serious danger:
Cyanosis Convulsions Stopping or sucking poorly (children under 2 months old), unable to drink (children from 2 months to 5 years) stridor stridor Sleepy, difficult to wake Severe malnutrition. If the child is less than 2 months old, signs of fever or hypothermia (child cold), wheezing, it is necessary to take the child to the doctor immediately.

3. How to care for children with acute respiratory infections at home?

When a child has a cough or cold, parents take care of the child at home as follows:
Do not fast, but continue to feed or breastfeed more times. Give your child enough water to drink. Relieve coughs and sore throats with safe medicines such as: sugar cane, honey, white roses, diluted - warm tea... Use medicine for fever, cough, wheezing... for children according to the instructions of the doctor. doctor. Do not overuse antibiotics because in this case, the drugs are ineffective, expensive and can cause side effects or make bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Clearing the nose makes it easier for the baby to breathe and suckle. In particular, parents need to pay attention to monitor and detect signs of pneumonia as well as other dangerous signs to take their children to the hospital immediately.

To prevent acute respiratory infections for babies and prevent dangerous complications, parents need to:
Nourish children well with adequate nutrition. . Fully vaccinated children Give children vitamin A and other trace elements (iron, zinc, ...) according to instructions Keep children cool when it's hot, warm when it's cold Avoid children being exposed to smoke leaves Avoid polluted places, dust, especially smoke from coal stoves and firewood. Avoid letting children close to people who have a cold or cough, and avoid going to crowded places when there is an epidemic. Wash hands thoroughly before and after caring for children. Respiratory tract infections are the most common disease in children, and this is also the leading cause of hospitalization for children, especially children under 5 years old. It is necessary to pay attention to the manifestations of the disease in order to have appropriate care for the child. If abnormal signs appear, the child should be taken to the doctor and treated immediately to reduce complications and the risk of death.
As a key area of ​​Vinmec Health system, Pediatrics Department always brings satisfaction to customers and is highly appreciated by industry experts with:
Gathering a team of top doctors and nurses in Pediatrics : consists of leading experts with high professional qualifications (professors, associate professors, doctorates, masters), experienced, worked at major hospitals such as Bach Mai, 108.. Doctors All doctors are well-trained, professional, conscientious, knowledgeable about young psychology. Besides domestic pediatricians, the Department of Pediatrics also has the participation of foreign experts (Japan, Singapore, Australia, USA) who are always pioneers in applying the latest and most effective treatment regimens. . Comprehensive services: In the field of Pediatrics, Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine, ... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to children. from birth to adulthood Specialized techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - craniofacial surgery, stem cell transplantation. blood in cancer treatment. Professional care: In addition to understanding children's psychology, Vinmec also pays special attention to the children's play space, helping them to play comfortably and get used to the hospital environment, cooperate in treatment, improve the efficiency of medical treatment.
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