Pneumonia is an infection in the lungs. It is caused by different types of germs, such as bacteria or viruses. Your baby's pneumonia was caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis. Most babies with chlamydia pneumonia get better with 1–2 weeks of treatment with antibiotics. Some babies need to take the medicine for longer. Help your baby get better by following these care instructions.

• Give your baby the antibiotic as instructed by your health care provider.
• You can give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand) for fever if your health care provider says it's OK. Be sure to give it exactly as directed.
• Don't give your baby aspirin because it is linked to a rare but serious illness called Reye syndrome.
• To soothe your baby's cough, run a cool-mist humidifier, especially when your baby is sleeping. Clean after each use.
• Give your baby breast milk or formula as usual. If your baby has trouble breastfeeding or taking a bottle, give small amounts of breast milk or formula using a spoon or medicine dropper.
• Don't allow anyone to smoke around your baby. It can make your baby cough more and get more lung infections.
• Be sure your baby has had all recommended vaccines. Some can help prevent certain kinds of pneumonia.
• Follow up as directed by your health care provider. Some babies need more than one round of antibiotics to cure the infection.

Your baby:

• has trouble taking the antibiotic
• is not eating or drinking
• has a new or higher fever
• seems to be getting worse
• has any of these signs of dehydration:
  • crying with few or no tears
  • more than 4 to 6 hours without a wet diaper
  • sunken eyes or soft spot on the head
  • severe sleepiness

Your baby:

• is breathing much faster than usual
• has pulling in of the neck and chest muscles when breathing

Call 911 if your baby is struggling to breathe or turns blue.

How do babies get chlamydia pneumonia? If a pregnant woman has untreated chlamydia (a sexually transmitted infection), her baby can be born with chlamydia pneumonia. A mother may not know she has chlamydia because it doesn't always cause symptoms.

How do health care providers diagnose chlamydia pneumonia? Testing the mucus from a baby's nose can diagnose chlamydia pneumonia. Usually no other testing is needed.

Can my baby's pneumonia spread to others? No. Babies get this type of pneumonia by being born to a mother who is infected. They can't pass it to others.