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Walking pneumonia cases are rising among kids Heres everything you need to know
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases of mycoplasma pneumonia, better known as walking (or atypical) pneumonia, are on the rise across the United States.
Especially among kids& If you or your child has a lingering cough, this might be essential reading. Walking pneumonia is more of a colloquial term than a medical diagnosis, and it does more or less what it says on the tin. Here are some basics about the ailment and what you should do if you suspect your child is suffering from it.
What is walking pneumonia and how dangerous is it?
The good news is that walking pneumonia is less severe than regular pneumonia.
While a typical case of pneumonia would leave you bedbound, or possibly even send you to hospital, walking pneumonia usually lets you go about your regular activities. Its the kind of pneumonia you can still walk with, hence the name.�
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Its more of a colloquial term than an exact medical diagnosis, explains�Yale physician Matthew Ullman. A typical walking pneumonia patient has a cough and some mild breathing difficulties that last longer than the standard three to five days of an acute respiratory infection.
It isnt severe enough that it incapacitates you, but it lingers and can make you feel uncomfortable.
However, while it mightnt be serious in the short term, its worth keeping an eye on. If you have a cold lasting a week or more, its worth contacting a doctor, Yale advises.
If youre healthy and you treat it, walking pneumonia shouldnt be a major issue
Walking pneumonia can affect anyone. But youre more likely to get it if youre otherwise immunocompromised. Per Cleveland Clinic, that includes people who are:
- 2 years old or younger
- 65 years old or older
- Taking immunosuppressant medications
- Asthma, emphysema, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease sufferers
- Required to live or work in crowded places such as schools, dormitories, nursing homes, or military barracks.
A 2018 study published by the Journal of Clinical Medicine Research concluded that, while antibiotics are easily available and most people neednt stress too much over a walking pneumonia diagnosis, it nevertheless can incur significant mortality and morbidity.
In other words, it can lead to other illnesses and even death. Treatments include aggressive supportive care and presumptive antibiotics, especially among patients who are already at risk.
What to do if you or your child has walking pneumonia
If you suspect your child has atypical pneumonia, take them in for a physical examination. Your physician will likely perform an auscultation. This involves using a stethoscope to listen to the lungs.
A healthcare provider might then order chest X-rays to check for infection. They could also take a mucus sample or conduct blood tests to determine the cause of the illness.
If youre found to have walking pneumonia, treatment depends on the cause.
- If the cause is bacterial, your healthcare provider may prescribe macrolide antibiotics, fluoroquinolone, or tetracyclines.
- However, if its viral in origin, Cleveland Clinic says you have to let the illness run its course.
In case of viral infection, medications can relieve the symptoms. You can help open your airways by drinking lots of warm liquids, using a humidifier, or taking a hot bath or shower, CC advises.
