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Pneumonia in children - discharge

Definition

Your child has pneumonia, which is an infection in the lungs. Now that your child is going home, it is important to follow your health care provider's instructions on helping your child continue healing at home. Use the information below as a reminder.

Alternative Names

Lung infection - children discharge; Bronchopneumonia - children discharge

When You're in the Hospital

In the hospital, your providers helped your child breathe better. They also gave your child medicine to help get rid of the germs that cause pneumonia. They also made sure your child got enough liquids.

What to Expect at Home

Your child will probably still have some symptoms of pneumonia after leaving the hospital.

Home Care

Breathing warm, moist (wet) air helps loosen the sticky mucus that may be choking your child. Other things that may help include:

Do not use steam vaporizers because they can cause burns.

To bring up mucus from the lungs, tap your child's chest gently a few times a day. This can be done as your child is lying down.

Make sure everyone washes their hands with warm water and soap or an alcohol-based hand cleanser before they touch your child. Try to keep other children away from your child.

Do not allow anyone to smoke in the house, the car, or anywhere near your child.

Ask your child's provider about vaccines to prevent other infections, such as:

Also, make sure all your child's vaccines are up to date.

Eating and Drinking

Make sure your child drinks enough.

Some drinks may help relax the airway and loosen the mucus, such as:

Eating or drinking may make your child tired. Offer small amounts, but more often than usual.

If your child throws up because of coughing, wait a few minutes and try to feed your child again.

Medicines

Antibiotics help most children with pneumonia get better.

Do not give your child cough or cold medicines unless your provider says it is OK. Your child's coughing helps get rid of mucus from the lungs.

Your provider will tell you if it is OK to use acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for fever or pain. If these medicines are OK to use, your provider will tell you how often to give them to your child. Do not give aspirin to your child.

When to Call the Doctor

Contact your child's provider or call 911 or the local emergency number if your child has any of the following:

References

Kelly MS, Sandora TJ. Community-acquired pneumonia. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 428.

Shah SS, Bradley JS. Pediatric community-acquired pneumonia. In: Cherry JD, Harrison GJ, Kaplan SL, Steinbach WJ, Hotez PJ, eds. Feigin and Cherry's Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 22.


Review Date: 3/16/2024
Reviewed By: Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Associate in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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