Child pneumonia

Written by: Wahida Sabir

Pneumonia is severe inflammation of one or both lungs and occurs at any age, but children and the elderly are more likely to get this disease.

Pneumonia is considered as one of the causes of illness, disability and death of children under the age of five in the world. According to the information provided by the Ministry of Public Health of Afghanistan, about 30,000 children under the age of five die each year in this country due to pneumonia. AEPO’s writer/producer has talked to some people and a physician about the symptoms, signs, prevention of child pneumonia.

A mother from Paghman district, Kabul province says, “I am the mother of a single child. Once he was suffering from pneumonia and he was in bed for one month at Indira Gandhi Children Hospital in Kabul city. He was so suffering from this disease that I was thinking that he might die.”

A mother from Dikundi province says, “I have five children. My third child was suffering more from pneumonia that even he could not breastfeed.”

 Doctor Shirnawaz, child diseases specialist at Indira Gandhi Children Hospital talks about the symptoms of pneumonia in children, “Cough that produces mucus, cough with pain, vomiting or diarrhea, loss of appetite, and fever are the symptom of pneumonia in children.” 

What do some people think about the causes of childhood pneumonia?

 A mother, a resident of Ahmad Shahbaba Mena, district 12th of Kabul city says, “Not wearing warm clothes & playing barefoot in cold weather cause pneumonia.”

Jamshed Ahmadyar, a resident of Kabul city says, “Air polluted with smoke cause child pneumonia.”

Doctor Shirnawaz says, “

 Bacteria, viruses, fungi, smoke, dust, cigarette

smoke, polluted air, and non-adaptation of the pneumonia vaccine are the common causes of pneumonia.”

How do some people treat child pneumonia?

A mother from Nangarhar province says, “When any of children get pneumonia, I keep them warm in cold weather and prepare him/her hot soup.” 

A mother from Kabul city says, “If my child gets pneumonia, I avoid him/her from eating greasy foods and from drinking cold water and I prepare potage for him/her and take him/her to a doctor for essential treatment.”

Doctor Shirnawaz says, "A child with pneumonia should be rested at home, prohibited from more activity, give him/her hot liquids such as hot tea, hot milk, soup, etc.; kept him/her warm; if he/she has a high fever, he/she must be taken to a physician for essential treatment.”