Robert2

Of course, I am going to call the doctor today myself, and ask a few questions .... but what can I expect.
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Your child most likely has viral pneumonia. It is viral infection in the lining of the lungs which causes a mucous to build up. The mucous impairs the lung's ability to absorb oxygen into the lungs.
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I have the kids this weekend, and is this going to be like if she has a bad cold or what .....
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She needs to rest, drink fluids and eat what ever she can keep down. She can take Tylenol for fever but not asprin. When her medicine starts working, the mucous in her lungs will start loosing up and she will want to cough it up and spit it out. You can facilitate this with a vaporizer to add humidity to the room or just have her breath steam vapors from a container of hot water. (BE CAREFUL WITH THE HOT WATER) The doctor may also give her an expectorant or have you get it for her at the drug store. She isn't very contagious but keep others at a distance in case they are.
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and just how serious can I expect this to get. Of course I understand no one can really answer that question .. but just how typical is this in children.
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If not treated, pneumonia can quickly land one in the hospital. It used to be deadly. A lot of children in third world countries still die from it.
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Oh .. by the way .. she said they sent her home with an antibiotic to take.
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That's the good news. Those antibiotics work great. She will probably start feeling better within just a couple of days and the fever will recede. It's important for her to continue to rest and drink fluids and let the medicine do its thing. She may cough some. So encourage her to cough up the mucous and spit it out. It can take quite a while for the coughing to stop. It's OK for her to sit up and watch TV as long as she keeps her distance from people for the first three or four days. She can eat at the table with the family when she feels up to it. It's not a good idea for her to play with pets and don't let her get chilled. As with any antibiotic, she must finish taking all of it. That's very important.

If something strange happens. Like, severe shortness of breath, take her to the emergency room.
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Any help .. anyone?

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By them time you get her this weekend, your child should be well on her way to recovery. Your greatest challenge will be not to give in to her demands to resume playtime as usual. You shouldn't take her out at all. Just stay home and rest. I find that 7up can settle a stomach that may be upset from frequent coughing. Good luck.