Evo Child's Pneumonia: A Parents Story

[Evo]

My brother is a doctor, so I asked him about this. He said that your daughter needs to have a chest xray, has this been done? If it has, then she's probably getting the right care. If that hasn't been done, then...why not?

She had an x-ray almost two weeks ago, which is how the doctor diagnosed it. She doesn't seem to be responding to treatment.

 

[Cyrus]

She will get better soon, I promise.

 

[Aether]

She had an x-ray almost two weeks ago, which is how the doctor diagnosed it. She doesn't seem to be responding to treatment.

He said that's how pneumonia is diagnosed, and that painful breathing (often accompanied by fever) isn't unusual. I hope that she's feeling better soon.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Sounds like she might have pleurisy, but not sure.

It sounds like pleurisy to me, too.

At any rate, it seems to have gone on much too long. When I had pneumonia as a kid I only stayed in the hospital three days and went home completely well. Spent one night in an oxygen tent, and don't recall what they gave me, but the very next day I felt considerably better. Because of that, it strikes me as strange she wan't over it quite a while ago.

 

[Astronuc]

How about PMing DocToxyn or adrenaline for opinions?

IIRC, she had onset of pneumonia two weeks ago after an respiratory infection. If she has gotten worse, rather than better, it would seem a different treatment is in order - and a second opinion - and maybe hospital, especially if pleurisy is possible. You don't want this to progress to a pneumothorax.

If it's viral, not much can be done, but bacterial infection is treated by antibiotics.

Treatment is directed at the underlying illness. Bacterial infections are treated with appropriate antibiotics. Tuberculosis requires special treatment. Viral infections normally run their course without medications. Pleural fluid may be removed by thoracentesis, and evaluated for signs of infection. The pain of pleurisy can often be controlled with acetominophen or anti-inflammatory agents, such as ibuprofen

Maybe a second X-ray is in order.

 

[Moonbear]

A few things come to mind. On a chest x-ray, they can only see if there are things like fluid in the lungs, they can't tell what's causing it. They should have done a sputum culture to confirm pneumonia. If she's not responding to antibiotics, and it really is pneumonia, she may have a resistant form that needs a different antibiotic. The only way to find that out is to do a culture to identify the bug she has and which antibiotic is responds to.

But, painful and difficult breathing is not something to mess around with. If she's not responding, she should be in the hospital for further treatment.

If I were you, I'd take her to a second doctor, or the ER, and request the original x-rays plus get a new one taken. A second doctor or radiologist can confirm the initial diagnosis, and by having the old and new set, can also determine what direction it's progressing. This has gone on too long to be getting worse rather than better.

 

[Astronuc]

Has Child of Evo improved? I am hoping so.