Walking Pneumonia in Children – Is it Contagious?
Walking pneumonia is an infectious pneumonia but is milder than any other kind of pneumonia. It is a non medical term and does not require hospitalization in most of the cases. It has derived its name “Walking Pneumonia” from the fact that the symptoms are too mild to stay at home or see a doctor and you can simply go on with your normal routine. Moreover if you see a doctor, you would not be even asked to have chest X-ray which is the only way to diagnose pneumonia. In addition to this, this illness does not require treatment with an antibiotic.
Pneumonia is a lung disease caused due to lung infections. There are many causes of pneumonia including:
The most common cause of walking pneumonia is lung infection from bacterial microorganism called Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In this condition the patient might be good to go to work and other regular routine. The body manages to counteract the infection without having bed rest or any regressive treatment as such. Now the question that tickles the mind is that how to identify that it’s walking pneumonia? The best way to identify walking pneumonia is to observe the signs and symptoms associated with it. Also, you can always see your doctor in case the identification becomes cumbersome or condition worsens.
http://www.Symptoms-Causes-treatment.blogspot.com detect diseases at an early stage symptoms, and find out the causes and treatments best suited.
Symptoms of walking pneumonia begin to develop only after 15 to 30 days after exposure to bacteria Mycoplasma. Symptoms include:
Some people with walking pneumonia may also have conditions like anemia, skin rash and ear infection. Other problems associated with walking pneumonia are sinus infections, asthma and sore throat.
Basically the symptoms vary from one patient to the other depending on where in their body the infection is concentrated. For example children with infection in the top or middle part of the lungs develop labored breathing that causes rib muscles to retract. On the other hand children with infection in the lower part of lungs will have upset stomach, vomiting rather than breathing problems.
Typically, anyone of any group can get walking pneumonia. But the condition is most common among older children and adults less than 40 years of age. Also, people living and working at crowded places like schools, prisons and homeless shelters are at higher risk of developing the condition. Usually it is bought home by children who go to school and gradually family members are infected within a week or two.
It has been observed that children who are affected by this disease, pass it on the other family members too. The reason is that pneumonia is contagious and so it easily spreads to the person from someone who has it. Generally it spreads from droplets from nose and throat of person with pneumonia when he sneezes or coughs.
Walking pneumonia is common during late summer and fall. However there are cases reported throughout the year and it spreads slowly because of its contagious nature. Researchers believe that it takes prolonged contact for someone to develop contagious walking pneumonia, still there are outbreaks reported every 3 to 6 years. In worst situations, these outbreaks can have one of every three cases with pneumonia.
The symptoms of walking pneumonia are so mild that it is seldom required to confirm the condition with a test. Some clinicians prescribe antibiotics like doxycycline, Adoxa, Atridox, Oracea and Vibramycin to treat infection from Mycoplasma. Other antibiotics are erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and tetracycline. If the person has developed pneumonia from Mycoplasma; then these medications will help get rid of the infection but if it is not, then these antibiotics won’t help.
Generally, walking pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and person easily recovers without any lingering problem. But in rare cases the symptoms might worsen. Pregnant women, children, elderly people and immunocompromised patients should immediately consult doctor because they can easily propagate to severe forms of pneumonia. Walking pneumonia in adults may become severe and intravenous antibiotics are prescribed in some cases. It is worth noticing that even if the patient takes treatment, dry cough persists until damaged lung tissues get healed up.
Although walking pneumonia is a mild condition and allows you to carry on with daily chores. But it is important to note that it is contagious and hence should be taken care of. Infected individuals are contagious for at least 25 days and may spread the infection via contact with droplets from coughs, nausea and sneezing. Therefore it is advised to maintain proper hygiene and take precautions to prevent its transmission.
Walking pneumonia is an infectious pneumonia but is milder than any other kind of pneumonia. It is a non medical term and does not require hospitalization in most of the cases. It has derived its name “Walking Pneumonia” from the fact that the symptoms are too mild to stay at home or see a doctor and you can simply go on with your normal routine. Moreover if you see a doctor, you would not be even asked to have chest X-ray which is the only way to diagnose pneumonia. In addition to this, this illness does not require treatment with an antibiotic.
Pneumonia is a lung disease caused due to lung infections. There are many causes of pneumonia including:
- Bacteria
- Virus
- Fungi
- Chemicals
- Inhaled foods
- Infectious agents like mycoplasma
The most common cause of walking pneumonia is lung infection from bacterial microorganism called Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In this condition the patient might be good to go to work and other regular routine. The body manages to counteract the infection without having bed rest or any regressive treatment as such. Now the question that tickles the mind is that how to identify that it’s walking pneumonia? The best way to identify walking pneumonia is to observe the signs and symptoms associated with it. Also, you can always see your doctor in case the identification becomes cumbersome or condition worsens.
http://www.Symptoms-Causes-treatment.blogspot.com detect diseases at an early stage symptoms, and find out the causes and treatments best suited.
Symptoms of walking pneumonia
Symptoms of walking pneumonia begin to develop only after 15 to 30 days after exposure to bacteria Mycoplasma. Symptoms include:
- Severe coughs with little or no phlegm
- Flu-like symptoms such as feverish and chills
- Sore throat
- Severe and continued headache
- Tiredness
- Continued weakness
- Muscular pain and backache
- Rapid breathing or breathing with wheezing sound
- Chest pain and stomachache
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Feeling of discomfort
Some people with walking pneumonia may also have conditions like anemia, skin rash and ear infection. Other problems associated with walking pneumonia are sinus infections, asthma and sore throat.
Walking Pneumonia in Children
Basically the symptoms vary from one patient to the other depending on where in their body the infection is concentrated. For example children with infection in the top or middle part of the lungs develop labored breathing that causes rib muscles to retract. On the other hand children with infection in the lower part of lungs will have upset stomach, vomiting rather than breathing problems.
Typically, anyone of any group can get walking pneumonia. But the condition is most common among older children and adults less than 40 years of age. Also, people living and working at crowded places like schools, prisons and homeless shelters are at higher risk of developing the condition. Usually it is bought home by children who go to school and gradually family members are infected within a week or two.
Is walking pneumonia contagious?
It has been observed that children who are affected by this disease, pass it on the other family members too. The reason is that pneumonia is contagious and so it easily spreads to the person from someone who has it. Generally it spreads from droplets from nose and throat of person with pneumonia when he sneezes or coughs.
Walking pneumonia is common during late summer and fall. However there are cases reported throughout the year and it spreads slowly because of its contagious nature. Researchers believe that it takes prolonged contact for someone to develop contagious walking pneumonia, still there are outbreaks reported every 3 to 6 years. In worst situations, these outbreaks can have one of every three cases with pneumonia.
Treatment
The symptoms of walking pneumonia are so mild that it is seldom required to confirm the condition with a test. Some clinicians prescribe antibiotics like doxycycline, Adoxa, Atridox, Oracea and Vibramycin to treat infection from Mycoplasma. Other antibiotics are erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin and tetracycline. If the person has developed pneumonia from Mycoplasma; then these medications will help get rid of the infection but if it is not, then these antibiotics won’t help.
Generally, walking pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics and person easily recovers without any lingering problem. But in rare cases the symptoms might worsen. Pregnant women, children, elderly people and immunocompromised patients should immediately consult doctor because they can easily propagate to severe forms of pneumonia. Walking pneumonia in adults may become severe and intravenous antibiotics are prescribed in some cases. It is worth noticing that even if the patient takes treatment, dry cough persists until damaged lung tissues get healed up.
Although walking pneumonia is a mild condition and allows you to carry on with daily chores. But it is important to note that it is contagious and hence should be taken care of. Infected individuals are contagious for at least 25 days and may spread the infection via contact with droplets from coughs, nausea and sneezing. Therefore it is advised to maintain proper hygiene and take precautions to prevent its transmission.
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