How long does it take for pneumonia in babies to go away?

Posted by Doctor Ngo Van Dan - Department of Neonatology, Vinmec Times City International General Hospital

Treatment of pneumonia in infants depends on the severity of the disease, the child's ability to respond, and the causative agent. Normally, the treatment time for neonatal pneumonia is 5-10 days, however, in some cases, the treatment time may be longer.

1. Factors affecting the duration of neonatal pneumonia treatment?

There are many factors that affect the duration of treatment for neonatal pneumonia, including:
The severity of the pneumonia
The more severe the lung damage, the longer the treatment time will be. Severe pneumonia can be accompanied by complications such as: respiratory failure, blood infection, meningitis, effusion, pneumothorax, making the treatment more complicated and difficult.
Pathogens
There are many causes of neonatal pneumonia: viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi. With each type of pathogen, it will often cause pneumonia with different degrees of disease. In infants, the leading cause of pneumonia is a virus, followed by bacteria such as: Streptococcus agalactiae, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza, Klebsiella. Some types of hospital-acquired pneumonia caused by some drug-resistant bacterial agents such as green pus bacillus, Enterobacteriaceae spp., Staphylococcus aureus... will be more difficult to treat and the treatment time will be longer.

Vi khuẩn Streptococcus agalactae gây viêm phổi ở trẻ sơ sinh — Vi khuẩn Streptococcus agalactiae gây viêm phổi ở trẻ sơ sinh

Child's condition
Effective treatment of pneumonia in infants depends on the child's response. For some children with special conditions, the treatment time may be longer, such as
Children with a history of premature birth, low birth weight Children malnourished Children with immunodeficiency Children with chronic diseases: chronic lung disease

Trẻ viêm phổi — Trẻ có bệnh lý phổi mạn tính

2. How long does neonatal pneumonia treatment last?

Pneumonia, if it occurs in children younger than 2 months old, is classified as severe pneumonia and is indicated for hospitalization. Neonatal pneumonia mortality rate is higher than other age groups. Moreover, the signs of pneumonia in children are often more difficult than other ages, so parents often take them to the doctor when the child's condition is severe.
Usually, the treatment time for neonatal pneumonia is about 5-10 days depending on the severity, the child's ability to respond and the type of causative agent. However, in some cases, the treatment period can last up to 2-3 weeks, especially if the pneumonia is severe, complicated, or nosocomial pneumonia.

Khám nhi, khám trước tiêm phòng vacxin — Trẻ bị viêm phổi cần được gặp bác sĩ chuyên khoa trong thời gian sớm nhất

Parents need to pay attention to detect early signs of pneumonia in their children, adhere to the treatment regimen in the hospital as well as care at home. To register for child care at Vinmec International General Hospital, you can contact Vinmec Health System nationwide or register online HERE.
MORE:
Signs of pneumonia in babies Is neonatal pneumonia dangerous? How to take care of a newborn with pneumonia to help them recover quickly