Children and babies who develop pneumonia often do not have any specific signs of a chest infection but develop a fever, appear quite ill, and can become lethargic. It is important to note that nursing home patients with pneumonia are less likely to present with classic signs of pneumonia presentation, such as fever, chills, chest pain, and productive cough, but instead these individuals often have delirium and altered mental status.
You are at a greater risk for developing complications if you are very old or very young, or if you have a weakened immune system or chronic heart or lung disease. Some causes of pneumonia are associated with classic, but non-specific, clinical characteristics. If you have pneumonia, you may be working hard to breathe, or breathing fast.
