CLASSIFYING THE ILLNESS IN YOUNG

INFANTS(<2MTHS)

Signs may be difficult to find in young

children
Non-specific signs as poor feeding,
fever,low body temperature,mild chest
indrawing
CLASSIFIED AS
Very severe disease
Severe pneumonia
No pneumonia

Classifying illness of young infant

Infants less than 2 months of age are

referred to as young infants.

They can become sick and die very

quickly from bacterial infections, are
much less likely to cough with
pneumonia, and frequently have only
non specific signs such as poor feeding,
fever or hypothermia.

1)Mild chest indrawing is normal in young infants

because their chest wall bones are soft. The
presence of these characteristics means that
they will be classified and treated differently
from older children.
2)Added risk factor of low birth weight. Such
children are very susceptible to temperature
changes and even in tropical climates, death
due to cold stress or hypothermia are common.
3) In young infants the cut off point for fast
breathing is 60 breaths per minute. Any
pneumonia in young infants is considered to be
severe.

VERY SEVERE DISEASE

SIGNS
Stopped feeding well/vomiting
Convulsion
Abnormally sleepy or difficult to wake/lethargic
Stridor in calm child
Wheezing
Fever or low body temperature
Central cyanosis
TREATMENT
Refer urgently to hospital
Keep warm
Antibiotics

SEVERE PNEUMONIA

Cough
Severe chest indrawing
RR 60 OR more

TREATMENT
Refer urgently
Keep warm
Antibiotics

No PNEUMONIA
SIGNS
Cough
Cold

TREATMENT
Keep warm
Breast feed
Return if sick , RR, Difficulty in feeding

Treatment <2mths child

Drug

Dose

Age <7DAYS

Age 7-2 mths

Inj Benzyl
Penicillin or

50000IU/KG/DO
SE

12 Hrly

6Hrly

Inj Ampicillin
and

50mg/kg/dose

12 Hrly

8Hrly

Inj Gentamycin

2.5mg/kg/dose

12 Hrly

8Hrly

NO PNEUMONIA

Symptomatic t/t
Home care
No antibiotics

PREVENTION

Improve living condition

Better nutrition
Remove smoke pollution indoor
Better MCH
Immunization