Childhood pneumonia is curable

Pneumonia is one of the most common infections in children who aren’t breastfed, are exposed to indoor air pollution, are malnourished or live in over-crowded or polluted surroundings. Pneumonia can be transmitted via bacteria, virus, among other pathogens. However the good news is that pneumonia is preventable and if it does occur then it is curable with standard treatment at the right time.

Second-hand tobacco smoke increases risk for childhood pneumonia

Indoor air pollution increases the risk for childhood pneumonia. Smoke coming out of cook stoves and second-hand or third-hand smoke that is a direct result of family members smoking tobacco within households also scales up the risk for childhood pneumonia. Since pneumonia adversely affects the lungs, indoor air pollution and inhaling tobacco smoke or smoke coming out of cook stoves puts children at risk of pneumonia.

Nutrition and hygiene helps protect children from pneumonia

Nutrition, cleanliness and hygiene should be paid attention more so when a woman becomes pregnant. Good balanced nutrition for the pregnant woman and postnatal for her new born child is a blessing in warding off infections and boosting child’s immunity. Childhood pneumonia is a common disease affecting an alarming number of children below 5 years of age.

Mother’s milk protects the child against pneumonia

Right after birth children should be given mother’s milk only for first six months of their lives because it protects them from infections such as pneumonia, diarrhoea, among others. “Mother’s milk has desirable and beneficial antibodies that help the child protect herself/ himself against pneumonia and other infections. That is why it is strongly recommended that mothers should exclusively breastfeed their child for the first six months” said Dr Abhishek Verma, Senior Paediatrician, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.

Get your child vaccinated against pneumonia

“Pneumonia vaccination as per the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) is available in the market as per the causative agent. However in public sector government hospitals vaccination for pneumonia is not available” said Dr Abhishek Verma, senior Paediatrician, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Gomti Nagar, Lucknow.