Reasonable medication to children infected with pneumonia
Written by: Wahida Sabir
Winter and cold weather are the main causes of respiratory diseases such as colds, flu, pneumonia etc. In this season, children are more affected by such diseases, but if children affect with pneumonia, and if we do not pay attention to the reasonable application of medication, they might face some other health problems as well. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some parents and a physician about this disease.
A woman, a resident of Paktia province says, “I am the mother of 7 children. One of them was infected with pneumonia. The doctor prescribed him some medicines but I did to give the medicines on time. As a result, the virus transferred to his blood and he faced anemia. Then I took him from Paktia to Indira Gandhi Children’s Hospital in Kabul city and he is better now.”
A woman from Balkh province says, “My 3 children were suffering from pneumonia and I was not giving them medicines on time. One of them suffered from hot fever too and water was flowing from his eyes and even he could not be breastfed.”
Doctor Alam Sharifzoi, a pediatrician at the mentioned hospital says, “If the exact amount of medicines to pneumonia infected child is not given as the doctor advised, the child might infect again with the same virus and this time, it might cause him/her meningitis; the infection might enter the patient's bloodstream, or cause electrolyte disturbances, i.e., upsetting the balance of sodium, potassium, and chlorine, which can cause problems for children.”
What do some people think about the causes of unreasonable medication for the children infected with pneumonia?
A woman, a resident of Ahmad Shahbaba Mena, district 12 of Kabul city says, “If we stop the medication before the advised time, the germ is reactivated and it has a bad effect on the patient’s health.”
Gulajan, a resident of Ghorband district, Parwan province says, “One of my children was suffering from pneumonia. We took him to the doctor but we did give the medicines according to the doctor’s advice and the medication did not affect him.”
Doctor Sharifzoi says, “The physicians prescribe medicines according to the age and weight of the children but some parents do not give the medicines on time and they give more or fewer medicines to their children or they stop medication by themselves. In these cases, the medicines do not affect the illness and the patient might suffer more.”
How do some families treat their children infected with pneumonia?
Daud, a resident of Qarabagh district, Kabul province says, “I am the father of 4 children. One of my daughters always suffers from pneumonia and I take her to the physician. I give the medicines according to the doctor’s advice and she gets better.”
Another woman from Ahmad Shahbaba Mena says, “I always try to give the medicines according to the prescription of the doctor. If the doctor advised him/her 7 days medication, I apply it and he/she gets well.”
Doctor Sharifzoi says, “If the doctor advises medication once a day, the parents should give medicine to their child once in 24 hours. If the daily medication is two times, they should give the medicines after every 12 hours to the patient. The interval between medication is very important, otherwise, it might badly affect on child’s health.”