Pediatric Necrotizing Pneumonia (NP): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Necrotizing pneumonia (NP) is a serious but treatable complication of community acquired pneumonia, characterized by cavitation and liquefaction of the lung tissue. Reported cases of NP in children have been on the rise in recent years, though this is likely a result of an increase in proper diagnosis.

Increased Numbers

• Beginning in the early 2000s and continuing throughout the decade there have been an increase in reported cases of pediatric necrotizing pneumonia, but it is suspected by experts that this has been a result of increased awareness of NP as a distinct disease as well as a more consistent use of CT scans.

Symptoms

• As NP is a complication of regular pneumonia symptoms include cough, chills, difficulty breathing, fever, vomiting and chest pain; with NP signs of pleural effusion may also be present.

Testing

• If necrotizing pneumonia is suspected in a child, fluid will be collected through a needle from the pleural cavity, and then examined.

Treatment

• Antibiotics will be administered to the child suffering from necrotizing pneumonia and a chest draining will also likely be performed.

Outlook

• When left untreated children can die from necrotizing pneumonia, but when treated with antibiotics and chest drainage the outlooks is quite good, with lung damage being short term alone.