Doctors in Pune have reported a 30% increase in non-COVID pneumonia in children, mostly between 5- 10 years of age, inthe cold weather conditions. Specialists are saying that the increase in cases is concerning as the affected children might be at risk of developing serious COVID-19 due to weakening of lungs. They have to be extremely careful during recovery.

Ganesh Bagde, Columbia Asia hospital’s paediatrician, said that they had a 30% increase in non-COVID pneumonia cases since the starting of November, which was more than normal. Pneumonia has a tendency to excessively affect children as they breathe faster than adults and are also close to the ground, where the concentration of pollutants is very high. Dr Bagde has recommended flu shots in children to prevent the infection. Flu vaccines can build immunity against the common viral pneumonia. And these flu shots can also provide some cross protection against COVID.

He further said that both non-COVID and COVID pneumonia are not mostly life threatening. Bacterial pneumonia is more dangerous. Sassoon hospital’s paediatrician Aarti Kinikar said that according to their records, non-COVID pneumonia cases in children increase in October and November. The tendency continues in December and they get patients from rural areas too.

Kinikar said that good nutrition and age-specific immunization are important to protect against pneumonia. Use of masks and respiratory protocols among adults, especially when around children, are also important.

Bharati hospital’s paediatrician Dr Jitendra Oswal also explained the difference between bacterial and viral pneumonia. In viral pneumonia, a lot of wheezing is present as lung airways become narrow due to inflammation and causes a bad cough. But viral pneumonia is caused by seasonal viruses. Wheezing is not common in COVID-pneumonia, breathlessness is one of the main symptoms in them. In bacterial pneumonia, a high-grade fever is present but less cough. Children often get viral pneumonia more than bacterial pneumonia.

Three main seasonal viruses that make children sick and cause pneumonia during winter are: the adenovirus, metapneumovirus and respiratory syncytial virus.

Source: ET Healthworld