The Goan: Is Covid a type of pneumonia? What is pneumonia exactly, and is there a difference between pneumonia in children and adults?
Dr Poonam Sambhaji: Covid is viral pneumonia, and there is no specific treatment for it, we only have supportive treatment.
Common pneumonia is an airborne chest infection of the lungs in the parenchyma (spongy part) area, and if a child comes in contact with someone having cough and cold and pneumonia, he/she may catch the infection and develop the symptoms. The infection may be viral, bacterial and of many other types. Pneumococcal is the common type of bacteria that causes pneumonia in children. Unlike adults, in kids, the infection is preventable.
TG: You claim that pneumonia is preventable in children. How?
PS: For bacterial pneumonia (pneumococcal), we have the Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for kids, and if it is administered early in life, we can prevent 70-80 % of children from this infection. The doses start at six weeks and are given in regular intervals - 10 weeks, 14 weeks and 18 months to a child. The last dose is a booster.
TG: Is this vaccine available privately?
PS: Yes, in the private setup, the vaccine has been available since 2003. There are three brands in the market, and they range from Rs 2,500-4,500. Since it is expensive, few parents go for it in India.
TG: You say that the government of Goa has started offering this vaccine for kids in Goa, since June this year…
PS: Yes. The vaccine is made available free of cost at government centres in Goa, since June 2021. The government has opted for one of these three vaccines to offer them free of cost to kids in Goa. Three doses are administered in Goa to kids. The parents should avail this facility as much as possible.
TG: Tell us more about this vaccine. Is it effective?
PS: The vaccine has four doses, the last one, a booster. In the private setup, it is given in four schedules - 6, 10, 14 weeks and 18 months. The Goa government is offering it in three schedules - 6 and 14 weeks and 9 months. A child below 6 months of age gets four doses, above 6 months till 1-year-old receives three doses, more than 1-year-old gets two doses. A child can take only one dose after two years of age, after the doctor's assessment. As the number of doses decreases, the effectiveness also decreases.
TG: How can parents detect the symptoms of pneumonia in kids?
PS: Parents must look at three symptoms - fever, cough and difficulty in breathing. If fever or cough persists for two days, they must see the doctor. Rush the child to the nearest health centre or their family doctor or a paediatrician. There is a treatment for the pneumococcal type of pneumonia, and it is effective if started early. There is supportive and antibiotic treatment, which should be duly completed. If the child feels better with a few doses, the treatment should not be stopped abruptly, but the course of therapy should be completed.
TG: Tell us some measures taken to help the suffering child.
PS: The child, having pneumonia, withdraws from eating. But the parents must keep the child hydrated. Give the child a lot of fluids, even if he/she rejects solid food. Fruit juices, homemade soups, kanji, and coconut water can be given at frequent intervals to keep him/her hydrated. ORS is important.
