How To Know If Your Child Has Pneumonia

What Causes Pneumonia?

There are many myths about what causes pneumonia. A commonly believed myth is that pneumonia is caused when your wet clothes dry up on you, especially on your back. While it is true that some children develop coughs and colds after getting wet fully clothed, this is not directly the cause of pneumonia, nor is it even the cause of the cough or cold. And no, a cough or cold is not automatically pneumonia.

Another commonly believed myth is that having an air-conditioner blowing cold air onto your back will cause pneumonia. Just like the “wet clothes” myth, the “air-con air on back” is not a cause of pneumonia. It may sometimes be followed by a cough and cold, but again, it is not the cause of the cough, the cold, or the pneumonia.

Most pneumonia cases are caused by bacteria (e.g. tuberculosis), or viruses (e.g. SARS-CoV-2), or sometimes by fungi ,or by parasites. Regardless of the cause, the infection may trigger the buildup of fluid in the lungs. If the bacteria, or virus, or fungi, or parasite causing the infection is transmissible (i.e. can be transmitted from a person to another person), then a child can develop pneumonia if the child catches the bug from another person (child and/or adult).

More than the causes of pneumonia, of immediate concern to a parent would be how to know if your child is suffering from pneumonia. With this in mind, it is important for every parent to know what the signs and symptoms are for pneumonia, so read on.