March 19, 2024
Disease Awareness

Respiratory Disease and Pneumonia

  • July 9, 2010
  • 2 min read
  • 495 Views
Respiratory Disease and Pneumonia

Public Awareness Program by Nepal Government

What is Respiratory Disease?

When microbial organism infect the Respiratory system and hampers the system like production of sputum, difficulty in breathing, cough etc. it is called respiratory disease. Mostly the lungs are affected. Others are nose and ears.
Problem due to Respiratory Disease
Usually children catch common cold. But  Sometime a disease called ‘ Pneumonia’ that is fatal for children below 5 years. When lungs are infected by microbes it causes, Pneumonia.
Yearly about 40,000 , Forty Thousand, children below 5 years die due to Pneumonia.  In reality, the main cause of death due to Respiratory diseases is due to failure to treat Pneumonia.

What are the signs and symptoms of Pneumonia?

Respiratory disease, pneumonia, HMG, ministry of health and population
Child with pneumonia
  1. When children get common cold- cough, running nose and mild fever are symptoms.
  2. When Pneumonia occurs-
  • Fast Breathing
  • Difficulty in Breathing
  • High grade fever
  • Indrawing of lower ribs or chest.
  • When Severe- Inability to feed, lethargy and Impaired alertness, Unconsciousness, Noisy Breathing can occur
  • How to Treat  Respiratory Disease?
  • To Prevent cold from progressing to Pneumonia:-
  • Keep the Child warm
  • Keep feeding the child at regular intervals
  • Clean nose with a towel soaked in lukewarm salt-water
  • If child has cough, give him Honey, Ginger water, Turmeric water, Tulsi leaf etc.
  • For Children Over 6 years, feed them more frequently than normal
  • Watch for the chest indrawing.

When Should I take the Child to Health Centre?

  • Child is breathing fast
  • Chest indrawing
  • Unable to feed
  • Unable to suck mother’s milk
  • If child is less than 2 months
  • If the child is malnourished

How  the Prevent Respiratory illness?

  • Keep child away from smoke, dust, kerosene fumes
  • Keep your home cigarette free
  • Clothe the child as per season
  • Keep the child in warm and well ventilated room
  • Immunize the child
  • Breastfeed ( Absolute Breastfeedining) the child for at least  6 months
  • Keep child away from pollution

Source: Nepal Government, Ministry Of  Health and Population

About Author

Editor

1 Comment

  • I introduced myself to tobacco use when I was just a kid. That ended up being the dumbest wrong move I’ve made. Now 20 years later and I have bronchitis. When attempting to get off cancer sticks, I saw the e-ciggaretes and will try it out. With any luck, it will assist me with this disgusting addiction.

Comments are closed.