Advice

How to lower your child's risk of pneumonia in everyday life

Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in young children worldwide. Simple steps like vaccines, breastfeeding and cleaner indoor air can protect them.

4 min read 3 November 2026, 16:49 Source: WHO fact sheet

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In short

Vaccines against Hib, pneumococcus, measles and whooping cough are the most effective way to prevent childhood pneumonia.
Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months strengthens a child's natural defences and shortens illness.
Indoor smoke from wood or dung fuels and parental smoking raise a child's risk of getting pneumonia.

When your child coughs through a cold night, you might wonder if it is just a cold or something worse. Pneumonia is an infection that fills the tiny air sacs in the lungs with pus and fluid, making breathing painful and limiting oxygen. In 2019, it killed 740 180 children under 5 years old worldwide.

The good news is that you can take practical steps at home to lower this risk. Here is what the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends for prevention.

Which vaccines actually prevent pneumonia?

Immunization is the most effective way to prevent pneumonia. Vaccines against these specific infections protect children:

Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
pneumococcus
measles
whooping cough (pertussis)

Check your child's vaccination card to see if these are up to date.

How does food help fight lung infections?

Adequate nutrition strengthens a child's natural defences. This starts with exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life. Exclusive breastfeeding means giving the baby only breast milk, no other food or drink.

This practice not only helps prevent pneumonia but also shortens the illness if a child does get sick. Children weakened by malnutrition or undernourishment face a higher risk of developing the infection.

What should I change inside my home?

The air your family breathes indoors matters. Several environmental factors increase a child's risk:

indoor air pollution from cooking and heating with biomass fuels like wood or dung
living in crowded homes
parental smoking

Reducing household air pollution helps protect children's lungs. Using affordable clean indoor stoves is one solution. Encouraging good hygiene and hand washing with soap in crowded homes also reduces the number of children who fall ill.

When should I seek medical care?

Watch for fast breathing or lower chest wall indrawing, where the chest moves inward during inhalation instead of expanding. Very severely ill infants may be unable to feed or drink, or may experience unconsciousness, hypothermia and convulsions.

If you notice any of these signs, call 103 immediately or go to your nearest health centre. Bacterial pneumonia can be treated with antibiotics, but a doctor must decide which medicine is right.

The bottom line: keeping vaccines current, breastfeeding exclusively for six months and clearing indoor smoke are your strongest everyday tools against childhood pneumonia.

What you can do now

Check your child's vaccination record for Hib, pneumococcus, measles and whooping cough vaccines, and ask your local clinic about any missing doses.
Breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first 6 months of life to build their natural defences against infections.
Improve your indoor air by opening windows when cooking, keeping children away from tobacco smoke, and considering a cleaner stove if you burn wood or dung.
Call 103 or visit a health centre immediately if your child has fast breathing, their chest pulls inward when breathing in, or they cannot feed or drink.

Questions you may have

Can adults catch pneumonia from a sick child?

The viruses and bacteria that cause pneumonia spread through air-borne droplets from a cough or sneeze. They can infect the lungs of anyone who inhales them, so good hygiene and hand washing with soap help protect the whole family.

Is pneumonia always caused by bacteria?

No. Pneumonia can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi. The symptoms of viral and bacterial pneumonia are similar, though viral symptoms may be more numerous. Wheezing is more common in viral infections.

Does my child need to go to a hospital?

Most cases require oral antibiotics prescribed at a health centre or by trained community health workers. Hospitalization is recommended only for severe cases of pneumonia.

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