Features of mycoplasma cough in children

Features of mycoplasma cough in children

Chief Physician Qi Zheng

Department of Pediatrics, Hubei Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The cough caused by mycoplasma pneumonia in children has the following characteristics: first, the nature of the cough is mostly dry cough, which will be accompanied by viscous sputum in the later stage; Second, the cough is more severe and lasts longer. Third, pulmonary signs are mostly subtle, and only a few children can hear rales. Fourth, infants and young children have a rapid onset and are prone to severe illness.

1. Dry cough

The most prominent respiratory symptom of mycoplasma pneumonia is cough, which is often dry in nature. Children usually have general malaise such as fatigue, headache, and muscle aches at the beginning of the disease, and after 2 to 3 days, they will begin to cough, which is dry at first, and then turns into a stubborn, severe cough, often with thick and difficult sputum.

2. The cough lasts for a long time

The course of mycoplasma pneumonia is generally relatively long, usually about 2 to 3 weeks, so the cough tends to last for a long time. Until the infection is completely cleared, children often present with a severe, persistent cough. Of course, if the child is in good health and has a mild condition, the cough may also be mild. Most of the pulmonary signs in children with mycoplasma pneumonia are subtle or absent, and only a few children can hear wet and dry rales in the lungs.

3. Infants and young children are prone to severe disease

For children, mycoplasma is highly contagious, especially infants and young children under 3 years old, due to low immunity, not only susceptible to infection, but also rapid onset and prone to severe disease. Critically ill children not only have severe cough and fever, but also often have symptoms such as dyspnea, wheezing, and cyanosis, which require timely treatment.