According to her, the main reason for the severe course of the diseases is self-medication by parents and delayed visits to doctors.
“Despite our efforts to explain the nature of bronchopneumonia, it is not enough. Often, as soon as a child starts coughing, parents begin to give 'cough suppressants' on their own or follow the advice of pharmacy staff. As a result, the disease progresses, and the child is brought to the hospital in a severe condition,” the head of the department noted.
She also emphasized that giving 'cough suppressants' to children under 6 years old is very risky. These medications can contribute to the formation of phlegm, which small children are unable to cough up and may swallow again.
“As a result, the phlegm accumulates in the airways, making breathing difficult. This can lead to secondary bacterial infections and serious complications. Often, self-medication is the reason for the severe course of the disease,” she added.
The specialist highlighted that parents should pay attention to alarming symptoms indicating the deterioration of their children's condition, which include:
- refusal to eat or breastfeed;
- difficulties in breathing;
- cyanosis;
- very high fever;
- inability to drink water.
“In such cases, the situation becomes extremely serious. It is harder for us to help when parents believe that everything can be cured with medications. If they consulted doctors at the first symptoms, severe consequences could be avoided,” concluded Sh. Mambetkadyrova.
According to her information, there are currently children in critical condition at the hospital. In some cases, infants are brought in too late—with serious breathing problems, unable to open their eyes and making no sounds.
“The biggest mistake is late hospitalization. In recent days, we receive between 90 to 100 cases a day. Among them are children who have been transferred from intensive care and continue to receive treatment,” she added.
Doctors strongly urge parents to be attentive to their children's health and to consult specialists at the first signs of illness.
