Overview
Community-acquired
pneumonia (CAP) in children is a previously healthy child presenting with signs
and symptoms of lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) acquired outside of
the hospital or health care facility, as stated in the Introduction section.
There are approximately 120 million cases of
pneumonia reported worldwide each year. A detailed discussion about the
prevalence of pneumonia in children is in the Epidemiology
section.
The most
common bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia is Streptococcus pneumoniae. Discussions on S
pneumoniae and other pathogens are in the Etiology section.
The Pathophysiology section
states that pneumonia occurs when pathogens invade the lower respiratory tract
through inhalation, aspiration, direct invasion of the respiratory epithelium,
or hematogenous spread. The developmental process of pneumonia is in this
section.
Conditions associated with
the development of childhood pneumonia are in the Risk Factors section.
Pneumonia - Community-Acquired Pediatric_Disease SummaryHistory and Physical Examination
The Clinical
Presentation section
describes the clinical features suggestive of childhood pneumonia.
The History and
the Physical Examination sections discuss the important information
that should be obtained and examinations that should be done in children
suspected of having pneumonia.
Diagnosis
The Screening section
features the severity assessment in children with pneumonia.
Discussions on microbiology, tests for viral
pathogens and atypical bacteria, and ancillary diagnostic tests in the
evaluation of childhood pneumonia are in the Laboratory
Tests and Ancillaries section.
The Imaging section
discusses the importance of a chest X-ray and other imaging studies in the
diagnosis of pneumonia in children.
Other conditions that should be ruled out in
the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia are listed in the Differential Diagnosis section.
Management
Indications for
hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) admission are enumerated in the Evaluation section.
General principles for pharmacological therapy
are in the Principles of Therapy
section.
The Pharmacological Therapy section discusses antibiotic therapy in detail, as well as
the duration of the therapy in the management of childhood pneumonia.
The Nonpharmacological section includes supportive therapy and other
preventive measures that should be done in children diagnosed with pneumonia.
Discussions on vaccination and immunotherapy for
children at risk for pneumonia are in the Prevention section.
The Monitoring section identifies indications
for follow-up of children with pneumonia and indications for referral to a
specialist.
