The symptoms of pneumonia in newborns differ from those in adults, primarily due to their immature respiratory system. This condition can generally be classified into three categories: prenatal infections, perinatal infections, and pneumonia acquired after birth.
Signs of pneumonia in newborns include, but are not limited to:
Fever is a common symptom, although some infants may not exhibit an elevated temperature, which is caused by an immune response triggered by pathogens.
Rapid breathing, manifested as intermittent difficulty breathing and frequent wheezing. Particularly during breastfeeding, an infant may suck vigorously accompanied by grunting, with cyanosis around the lips, which may signal pneumonia.
As the disease progresses, infants may develop deep coughs, difficulty swallowing, and wheezing sounds.
Other warning symptoms include loss of appetite, excessive sleepiness, pallor, and exacerbation of symptoms after exertion, along with signs of respiratory distress, such as nasal flaring, retractions in the suprasternal notch, supraclavicular area, and increased breathing movements beneath the xiphoid process.
Additionally, pneumonia may be accompanied by other symptoms:
If complicated by purulent enteritis, infants may present with diarrhea, and the stool may appear like egg drop soup mixed with mucus.
Newborns with congenital heart disease may experience abnormal pulmonary congestion during poor cardiac function, leading to difficulty breathing and cyanosis of the skin.
Given this, timely recognition of pneumonia in newborns is crucial, especially for preterm infants, low-birth-weight infants, or those with underlying conditions. Upon noticing signs of respiratory infection, immediate medical attention should be sought for necessary examinations to confirm the diagnosis and initiate treatment.
