PDF
ePub
Citation
Print
Abstract
Upper respiratory tract infection is one of the most common illnesses affecting children. On average, children experience around six to eight upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) each year. Although these infections usually are mild and self limiting, they occasionally lead to complications that can be life threatening. Most URTIs can be placed within four main categories of infection: nasopharyngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and otitis media. Within each category of illness, there is a range of related conditions that may have similar or overlapping clinical presentations. A sound judgment is required to determine the most affected part of the respiratory mucosa. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of URTIs in children will be reviewed here.
References
1. Hendley JO. Epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of the common cold. Semin Pediatr Infect Dis. 1998. 9:50–55.
2. Heikkinen T, Jarvinen A. The common cold. Lancet. 2003. 01. 04. 361:51–59.
3. Pappas DE, Hendley JO, Hayden FG, Winther B. Symptom profile of common colds in school-aged children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2008. 27:8–11.
4. Cherry JD. Feigin RD, Cherry JD, Demmler GJ, Kaplan SL, editors. Pharyngitis (Pharyngitis, Tonsillitis, Tonsillopharyngirls, and Nasopharyngitis). Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 2004. 5th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders;161–170.
5. Bisno AL, Gerber MA, Gwaltney JM, Kaplan EL, Schwartz RH. Diagnosis and management of group A streptococcal pharyngitis; a practice guideline. Clin Infect Dis. 1997. 25:574–583.
6. Cooper RJ, Hoffman JR, Bartlett JG, Besser RE, Gonzales R, Hickner JM, Sande MA. Principles of appropriate antibiotic use for acute pharyngitis in adult: background. Ann Intern Med. 2001. 134:509–517.
7. Gwaltney JM, Bisno AL. Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, editors. Pharyngitis. Principles and Practice of Infectious Disease. 1999. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Churchill Livingstone;656–661.
8. DiMatteo LA, Lowenstein SR, Brimhall B, Reiquam W, Gonzales R. The relationship between the clinical features of pharyngitis and the sensitivity of a rapid antigen test: evidence of spectrum bias. Ann Em Med. 2001. 38:648–652.
9. Pichichero ME. Evaluating the need, timing and best choice of antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media and tonsillopharyngitis infections in children. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2000. 19:S131–S140.
10. Brooks I, Gooch WM 3rd, Jenkins SG, Pichichero ME, Reiner SA, Sher L, Yamauchi T. Medical management of acute bacterial sinusitis. Recommendations of a clinical advisory committee on pediatric and adult sinusitis. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol Suppl. 2000. 182:2–2.
11. Wald ER. Sinusitis in children. N Engl J Med. 1992. 326:319–323.
12. Antimicrobial treatment guidelines for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Sinus and allergy health partnership. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2000. 123:5–31.
13. Louie JP, Bell LM. Appropriate use of antibiotics for common infections in an era of increasing resistance. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2002. 20:69–91.
14. Dowell SF, Butler JC, Giebink GS, Jacobs MR, Jernigan D, Musher DM, Rakowsky A, Schwartz B. Acute otitis media: management and surveillance in an era of pneumococcal resistance-α report from the Drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae Therapeutic Working Group. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1999. 18:1–9.
15. Leibovitz E, Piglansky L, Raiz S, Greenberg D, Yagupsky P, Press J, Fliss DM, Leiberman A, Dagan R. Bacteriologic efficacy of a threeday intramuscular ceftriaxone regimen in nonresponsive acute otitis media. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 1998. 17:1126–1131.
XML Download