Doctors urge parents to prioritise vaccination as pneumonia cases surge among children in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: On the occasion of World Pneumonia Day on Wednesday, paediatric and pulmonary specialists across Bengaluru have urged parents to prioritise timely vaccination, stressing that flu and pneumococcal shots remain the strongest protection against severe respiratory illness in children. Doctors warned that vaccine hesitancy and missed booster doses, especially after the first year of life, are leaving many children vulnerable to complications. Vaccinated children have far better protection. A vaccinated child may only have a mild episode manageable at home, while an unvaccinated child often ends up needing hospital or even ICU care, said Dr Anupama Menon, Consultant, Pediatric Pulmonology, Rainbow Childrens Hospital. Parents vaccinate religiously in the first year, but after that, they slip. That gap directly increases the severity of infections, said Dr Srikanta JT, Consultant Paediatric Interventional Pulmonology, Aster RV Hospital. This year, doctors across the city reported significant viral surges. In the last two to three months, we saw one influenza wave and one RSV wave, both causing several cases of viral pneumonia among children, said Dr Tejaswi Chandra, Pediatric Pulmonologist, Aster Women & Children, Bengaluru. The post-festival pollution combined with crowd gatherings definitely triggered a surge, said Dr Menon. Post-COVID, doctors say pneumonia patterns have become less predictable. Seasonal trends are no longer specific. Weather fluctuations are constant, so we were seeing a persistent baseline of pneumonia cases throughout the year, explained Dr Srikanta. Alongside viral infections, experts cautioned against both overuse and delayed use of antibiotics. For viral pneumonias, irrational antibiotic use is rampant. But in true bacterial pneumonia, delaying treatment for four or five days can cause serious complications. The key is recognising the difference early, said Dr Tejaswi. Air pollution and overcrowding, especially after festivals, aggravate respiratory illnesses. After Deepavali, we saw children admitted purely because of poor air quality, with cough, wheezing, and even needing oxygen, added Dr Tejaswi. He also flagged the rise in infections among toddlers attending preschools. Children under two are entering crowded environments before their immunity is ready, so infections just keep circulating, he said. While severe multi-organ complications remain rare, pulmonologists said they can occur in advanced cases. Severe pneumonia can affect the kidneys or heart, especially in adults or those with comorbidities, noted Dr Sudharshan KS, Consultant Pulmonologist, TriLife Hospital. They emphasised the same core message, prevention is key. Vaccinate, mask up on high pollution days, practise hand hygiene, and keep sick children home. Simple prevention goes a long way in protecting young lungs, concluded Dr Sudharshan.