Abstract

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children, especially in developing countries. Worldwide, CAP is the leading cause of death in children younger than five years. Guidelines for the management CAP have been demonstrated to decrease morbidity and mortality rates. They do not represent the only approach to diagnosis and therapy; there is considerable variation among children in the clinical course of pediatric CAP, even with infection caused by the same pathogen. It does not replace the need for the application of clinical judgment to each individual presentation. In this study we aim to discuss the diagnosis and management of CAP in children based on clinical practice guidelines by the pediatric society and the infectious diseases society of America.

Key words: Community acquired pneumonia, children, guidelines