Question
My son has a very weak cry and weak breathing after birth, and he was diagnosed with neonatal pneumonia by the hospital doctor. He has been receiving nursing treatment in the hospital, and I haven’t been able to touch him. What confuses me the most is how my child could have contracted this disease from birth. Can the doctor at the hospital explain it to me?
Answer
Neonatal pneumonia occurs due to incomplete excretion of lung fluid at birth, leading to respiratory difficulty and oxygenation issues, which can gradually improve through absorption. Feeding should be done in small, frequent amounts to prevent vomiting and aspiration; during artificial feeding, the nipple should be small to avoid coughing. Severe cases may require nasal feeding tubes or intravenous fluids, and in some cases, multiple transfusions of blood plasma and intravenous nutrients may be necessary.