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PneumoniaPneumonia serious disease in a child because it may give rise to whooping cough and other dangerous diseases. Pneumonia begins with a severe chill which is almost always due to long standing neglected cold. There is a dry and painful cough and rate of breathing is greatly increased. The face becomes reddish, blisters appear on lips, there is headache, nausea and vomiting. If the disease is neglected it becomes worse, the sputum is tinged with blood, the fever very high and this is folioed by death. However if there are no complications, fever persists for 5 to 10 days, occasionally longer. Then condition improves after a crisis, which is one of most striking features of this disease. When a crisis occurs in this disease the patient seems to be on the verge of cobias. Suddenly she begins to perspire freely, there is a rapid drop in temperature, a slowing of breathing and pulse rate and for a few hours the patient looks and feels better and drops off into a quiet sleep. TreatmentThe patient must be made to lie in a clean bed in a clean room with open windows. The child must be kept warm specially her feet must be kept warm wIth woollen socks or by means of hot water bottles or heating pad. At the onset a dose of epsom salts must be given and then bowels should be kept clean by warm water enema or some light purgative. She should be given plenty of water and lime juice. If there has been elimination of fluid through vomiting or bowel movement she should be given more water and fruit juice immediately. She should be given only soft foods and liquid foods like soups, hers, juices etc. Give her regular fomentation on chest to relieve pain and the cough. Penicillin and sulfadaizine tablets are very effective in the treatment of this disease. But before administering her these medicines you must consult your doctor. Even after your child recovers completely make her lie in bed for at least a week longer otherwise she might have a relapse of this dreadful disease which might prove fatal to her a second time. To prevent your child from getting this, disease always give her adequate diet to keep her healthy and strong for it is an unhealthy body which becomes a breathing ground for all diseases. Do not neglect her cold and never give her a bath after she has perspired due to heat or an outing. |