Alert regarding resurgence of bronchitis and pneumonia in pediatric emergency departments in Seville

Thus, coordinator of the General Emergency Service of the Quironsalud Infanta Luisa Hospital, doctor Gentleman Assistant, indicates adult emergency activity was up 20% in April 2024 compared to 2023. In his opinion, “largely thanks toThere is an increase in upper respiratory tract infections, probably influenced by the weather, as well as the seasonal period in which we find ourselves, where allergic processes are exacerbated, which also influence “They cause upper respiratory symptoms.”

In this sense, pediatrician at the Quironsalud Infanta Luisa Hospital Juan Ramon Prieto Massoni explains that in children, respiratory illnesses are exacerbated by cases of bronchitis and pneumonia, which account for 25% of pediatric emergencies and 40% of medical emergencies. admissions made in your hospital room. pneumonia It causes an infection of the alveoli in the lungs, which can fill with fluid or pus, causing symptoms such as coughing or difficulty breathing.

“Typical symptoms are fever and cough, older children may complain of pain on one side, since basal pneumonia often causes abdominal pain near the diaphragm, while in children In infants, more general symptoms are common – irritability, insomnia, diarrhea.refusal to eat and vomiting, among other things,” he adds, while emphasizing that “pneumonia is one of the most common infections in childhood, especially before the age of five.”

“Risk factors include prematurity, lack of breastfeeding, second-hand smoke exposure, malnutrition, day care attendance, presence of recurrent respiratory infections, and a history of wheezing or otitis media,” he adds.

In its turn, Andres Alberto Osuna Vera, also a pediatrician at the Quironsalud Infanta Luisa Hospital, describes bronchitis as a clinical condition caused by inflammation of the lower respiratory tract, especially the bronchi, which in 90% of cases is associated with viral infections, while the remaining 10% are due to bacterial infections. The predominant symptom is cough with or without sputum.

, usually lasts several days and usually appears along with other upper respiratory tract processes, such as a cold. “Vomiting caused by coughing or phlegm is common, as are other symptoms such as fever, general malaise, hoarseness and the most dangerous symptom: difficulty breathing,” he adds.

“The duration of the disease is very variable, but it usually lasts from three to fourteen days depending on the child’s age, severity of the condition and response to treatment,” he notes. Osuna Vera, which indicates that because it is viral in origin, it is usually spread in school or in the home of cohabitants, although, in general, “exceptional isolation measures are not necessary, other than avoiding school if there is fever, difficulty breathing or general discomfort.

Dyspnea

To the branch, Maria del Mar Ruiz Montero, General emergency physician at the Quironsalud Infanta Luisa Hospital notes that, as in adults, upper tract infections can develop into lower tract infections, as well as episodes of bronchitis or pneumonia, the main symptoms of which are fever, cough, and sputum production. , pleuritic chest pain, shortness of breath and rapid breathing and heart rate.

“The prognosis is excellent for relatively young and healthy patients, but we must not forget that many pneumonias in patients are severe or even fatal. old and sick Therefore, to prevent pneumonia, there are certain types of vaccines that are offered to vulnerable people or people at high risk,” emphasizes the doctor, who in relation to bronchitis produces mucus from the nose, sore throat and fatigue, cough, initially dry. later productive, with mucus as a sign of this condition. “Acute bronchitis itself does not cause serious complications, but the cough can last two to three weeks or even longer,” he concludes.