Question
A student’s child has contracted pneumonia before reaching a month old, and they visited the hospital today. They saw the child on oxygen therapy. Why does neonatal pneumonia require oxygen therapy?
Answer
Neonatal pneumonia can be categorized into aspiration pneumonia and infectious pneumonia based on the cause. Severe atelectasis patients require nebulizer inhalation, positional drainage, regular turning and patting, timely aspiration of nasal and oral secretions, and tracheal irrigation. Oxygen support is provided to maintain the arterial blood oxygen pressure (PaO2) between 50~80 mmHg and 80 mmHg. For mild cases, an oxygen hood can be used, while for severe cases, mechanical ventilation support is necessary.