Question
Little one has been crying and coughing for the past two days. We took them to the hospital and were told it’s neonatal pneumonia. What is neonatal pneumonia?
Answer
Neonatal pneumonia is a general term for chemical inflammatory reactions in the lungs or secondary infections caused by aspiration of amniotic fluid, meconium, or milk. Not only does neonatal pneumonia affect a child’s respiratory function, but bacteria can also spread throughout the body, leading to severe complications such as sepsis and meningitis. The characteristics of neonatal pneumonia are atypical symptoms; in some cases, there may be coughing, no elevated body temperature, increased respiratory rate, and difficulty breathing. For newborns with these symptoms, family members should take them to see a doctor promptly to avoid delaying treatment.