Symptoms of pneumonia start out like a cold, followed by a high fever, chills and a cough. Severe causes of pneumonia involve trouble breathing and shortness of breath. Two vaccines are available to prevent pneumonia; they are given to small children and those with weakened immune systems. When a person develops pneumonia, doctors will treat the infection with antibiotics. Most patients can be treated at home, but some have to go to the hospital for treatment. This is usually when they require oxygen to help with breathing or have a high fever that cannot be controlled. A doctor might order a chest x-ray for a patient to be sure that they have pneumonia.