Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that can cause significant respiratory distress, difficulty breathing, fever, irritability, cough and decreased feeding and dehydration in babies. Babies can become seriously ill with pneumonia, as their immune system is not fully developed to fight off this infection. The treatment of pneumonia varies with the severity of the illness and its cause, but in general it requires oxygen, fluids and fever control measures.
Bacteria
According to the Canadian Lung Association, Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common bacterial cause of pneumonia. Other bacteria that cause pneumonia include Group B streptococcus, which is the most common cause of pneumonia in newborns; Staphylococcus aureus; and Group A streptococcus, which is most common in children over the age of 5 years old. Babies acquire Group B streptococcus from their mothers during the pregnancy and the birthing process. Another bacterium, Chlamydia trachomatis, can cause pneumonia in babies whose mothers are infected by this sexually transmitted disease. Babies with chlamydia pneumonia usually start their infection with pinkeye and may have no fever.
Viruses
According to KidsHealth, an information website sponsored by the Nemours Foundation, viruses are the most common cause of pneumonia in babies. Viruses that cause pneumonia include respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, which also causes brochiolitis, a lung infection characterized by a frequent cough, respiratory difficulties and wheezing; adenovirus; the influenza or flu virus; and the parainfluenza virus, which also can cause croup, an upper respiratory infection characterized by a barking cough. Viral pneumonia tends to be a milder disease than bacterial pneumonia, but its symptoms can last longer than two weeks. Unlike bacterial pneumonia, babies with viral pneumonia do not benefit from antibiotic therapy.
Aspiration
Aspiration of foreign substances or objects can cause pneumonia in babies. This is particularly true in the case of meconium aspiration. Meconium is the baby's first feces. If the baby passes meconium inside the womb as a result of stress, it runs the risk of aspirating the meconium-stained fluid during the delivery. Meconium is toxic to the lungs, and aspirating meconium can cause pneumonia, with respiratory distress and gasping respirations, and cyanosis, or a bluish tinge around the lips that indicates decreased oxygen content in the blood.
