(WHTM) — Pediatricians at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital are starting to see a few cases of the flu. They also continue to see a lot of cases of common colds and upper respiratory viruses, as well as some cases of COVID and stomach bugs.
The providers of UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics in York and Spring Grove are continuing to see COVID-19, flu, RSV, and viral syndrome this week.
WellSpan Pediatric Medicine Physicians across the Midstate are seeing asthma attacks and upper respiratory illnesses, especially from RSV, enterovirus, and rhinovirus.
The CVS MinuteClinic in York reports COVID and upper respiratory infections this week.
Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Physicians Roseville Pediatrics reports a large uptick in pneumonia cases, as well as bronchiolitis. There are also rising numbers of strep throat and flu cases.
They report a lot of sore throats, most of which are viral, particularly adenovirus and enterovirus. They have also seen several cases of mono.
Pediatricians are seeing sores in mouths, which mostly have been cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease in all age groups. They have also seen throat sores and severe sore throats as symptoms of COVID.
Dr. Joan Thode has the following advice about pneumonia:
“Pneumonia is an infection of the cells that make up the airways of the lungs. This infection can be from a virus, bacteria or, more rarely, a fungus. Inflammation occurs as a result of the infiltration of the bacteria or virus, as well as the immune system’s response to the infiltrating microbes.
“Because the infection will additionally cause the immune system to react and attack, there will be an increase in thick mucous within the affected airways. This thickened mucous will sometimes completely obstruct the airway and prevent oxygen from getting to the end of the airway, where it can get into the bloodstream. If the pneumonia is severe enough, and enough of the airways are affected, the lungs may be unable to bring in enough oxygen, and the body will compensate by breathing more frequently/quickly. Therefore, rapid breathing is a big sign of concern.
“To get rid of some of the accumulated mucous, the lungs will cough, which will sound wet. While most wet coughs will be from postnasal drip, a persisting wet cough can sometimes be an indicator of pneumonia. Immune activation to fight off the virus or bacteria causing the pneumonia will often, but not always, involve a fever.
“The combination of wet cough, fever and rapid breathing can be seen with a number of different diagnoses, including bronchiolitis, severe viral illnesses and pneumonia. If your child is experiencing any kind of increased work of breathing or rapid breathing, regardless of the presence of other symptoms, they need prompt medical evaluation. Wet cough with fever that persists for a couple days, or a cough that lingers and has a fever start later in the illness course are also reasons to seek medical evaluation.”
