toddler with pneumonia

[caetlinh]

Hi Ladies-

Hoping some of you may have had experience with pneumonia in little kids.  DD who is 2 1/2 was diagnosed today with pneumonia and a double ear infection.  Started 5 days ago with a typical cold, then went to high fever, no appetite, exhaustion and now the rattly nasty cough. When we were in the office, they tested her oxygen levels and said they were really low, so gave her a dose of....(can't remember what it's called) in a nebulizer and sent it home with us to use every 4-6 hrs.  Now that it's night time and she's asleep, I'm not sure how paranoid to be.  I guess she has a pretty bad case, but not so bad that they admitted her.  I have noticed though the last two days that she's had this bluish tint to her skin, which I thought was just from her being cold, but now I realize means low oxygen.

Anyway, my question is, is it possible for her to just stop breathing in the middle of the night, or would she wake up from having difficulties and get my attention before it's too late?  First experience with this, and kind of scared about it.  Should I wake her up to give her the nebulizer, or assume that if she's sleeping peacefully that she's ok?

thank you!

[SweetSilver]

I went through this when dd2 was 18 mos old.  I already was a terrible sleeper, listening to my kids breathe when they were healthy-- pneumonia was a nightmare!  

Thankfully, I was told to wake her at the time to give her the nebulizer (albuterol?  I think?).  I just held her and held the mask on her face.  She did not resist.  She learned very, very quickly that it helped her feel better.

You will feel better if you hear this from the doctor--- call the office number and the message will give you a number for the all-night nurse or call center.  It is that important that you get the instructions right.  I always felt a little shy and guilty for calling, thinking it wasn't enough of an emergency to warrant bugging the on-call physician, but that is what they are there for.

[mumkimum]

We haven't had pneumonia, but last year dd2 was admitted with 'acute airway obstruction' while suffering a bad cold ( too young to be considered asthma, but very similar to be complications of that). She took albuterol and had regular nebulizer use for a week or two following -- perhaps fairly similar to your situation.

In short, and based on my dd (who was 2 at the time) - she'd wake and cry unconsolably when her breathing ability started decreasing during the ordeal. I don't think you need to fear her stopping breathing suddenly. Do, of course, do whatever you can to make it easier.

Are you to use the nebulizer regularly? You should wake her and give it if you are, and if she's mostly asleep while you're administering it that's fine ( it often helped my dd fall asleep during her treatment). If you're supposed to give it as needed, and she's sleeping fine, I wouldn't wake her though. Before bed is a good time to use it a few days in a row until she's a bit more cleared up (I'd think your doctor may have suggested this?).

Hugs and luck though, nothing like seeing your precious kiddo struggling to breathe and not knowing how to help.

[sbgrace]

We did nebulizer every 3-4 hours around the clock when my son had pneumonia. I will say you'd know if a child was in severe breathing distress assuming you could hear them. Don't worry she'll stop breathing while sleeping peacefully. I probably would wake her for the nebulizer though.