Understanding the differences between children with severe and non-severe types of neonatal pneumonia is crucial for clinical treatment and disease management. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of infants with neonatal pneumonia diagnosed as respiratory syncytial virus infection at Wuhan Children's Hospital between December 1, 2022 and November 30, 2023. Further, the recruited subjects were categorized into severe and non-severe groups based on the severity score. The collected data included general information, symptoms and signs, chest imaging results, and examination indices of the children. Finally, the data between the groups were statistically analyzed using the R software. The data showed no significant differences between the critical and noncritical groups on several dimensions. The critical group presented a longer hospital stay, a higher percentage of cesarean deliveries, as well as a significantly higher incidence of shortness of breath and cyanosis than the noncritical group. Concerning the laboratory indices, the critical group exhibited lower hemoglobin levels and a faster heart rate than the noncritical group. In terms of life-saving measures, respiratory support and drugs were more frequently required in the critical group than in the noncritical group. The utilization of some specific antibiotics was higher in the critically ill group than in the noncritically ill group. In summary, the study clarified the differences between critically and noncritically ill children with neonatal pneumonia, which could lead to the development of individualized treatment plans and improved quality of life and prognosis of children.