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Pneumonia—Bacterial, Pediatric

Erica S. Pan, MD, MPH, FAAP and Dylan C. Kann, MD Reviewed 10/2018
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs involving the alveoli and distal airways.

  • Complicated pneumonia implies pneumonia with: effusion/empyema, abscesses, multilobar disease, necrosi...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Fever and/or chills

  • Rapid breathing is a highly sensitive but nonspecific finding in bacterial pneumonia.

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath is common (can be associated with d...

TREATMENT

MEDICATION

Outpatient: empiric treatment 
  • Nontoxic, uncomplicated pneumonias in patients >3 to 6 months of age and anticipated to comply with antibiotic therapy may be managed as outpatient...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Children on appropriate therapy should show improvement within 48 to 72 hours.

  • If worsening or not responding to treatment, consider repeated or ...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Bartlett JG. How important are anaerobic bacteria in aspiration pneumonia: when should they be treated and what is optimal therapy. Infect Dis Clin North Am.  2013;27(1):149–15...

CODES

ICD9

  • 482.9 Bacterial pneumonia, unspecified

  • 482.32 Pneumonia due to Streptococcus, group B

  • 482.82 Pneumonia due to escherichia coli [E. coli]

  • 482.2 Pneumonia due to Hemophilus influenzae [H. influen...

FAQ

  • Q: What is the appropriate duration of therapy for bacterial pneumonia?

  • A: Empiric treatment courses of 10 days have been studied the most, although shorter courses may be effective in uncomplicate...

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