Question
A three-year-old boy, male, was treated at a clinic for coughing and was administered penicillin intravenously. On the fourth day, he was admitted to the hospital for a check-up and diagnosed with bronchitis pneumonia. He received azithromycin intravenously for eight days, and the doctor instructed him to stop the medication. Seven days later, symptoms of shortness of breath, coughing, sputum production, runny nose, and no fever recurred. After examination, the condition worsened again. He was administered azithromycin for four more days and then switched to amoxicillin for five days. The condition has not improved since then. The question is: If a child has bronchitis pneumonia that has not healed for several days, what type of pneumonia is it, and how should it be treated?
Answer
Traditional Chinese medicine treatment for pediatric pneumonia has achieved good results. Clinical observations have confirmed that treating common bronchitis pneumonia with traditional Chinese medicine can achieve the same efficacy as injecting penicillin or a combination of traditional Chinese medicine and penicillin. For adenovirus pneumonia, due to the lack of specific treatment, a comprehensive approach is generally adopted, including traditional Chinese medicine, systemic supportive therapy, and symptomatic treatment. The nursing environment for pneumonia patients should be quiet, clean, and comfortable. The room should be ventilated frequently to ensure necessary humidity levels; generally, a relative humidity of around 55% is appropriate, which can be achieved using a humidifier. Cold air therapy can also be used for the child; the method involves wrapping the child tightly in a cotton blanket, wearing a hat, and only exposing the face. Turn on the air conditioner or open the window or take the child to a cold room; the temperature should be between 5°C to 10°C, not lower than -5°C. After 5 to 10 minutes, restless children often fall asleep peacefully with even breathing and a rosy complexion. This can be extended to half an hour to one hour, twice or three times a day. If shortness of breath does not improve, oxygen therapy may be needed. Due to high fever and increased respiratory rate, children consume a lot of water; therefore, it is important to ensure adequate fluid intake (including milk, plain water, sugared water, rice porridge)