Childhood respiratory diseases

Question 1

What are the risk factors for childhood pneumonia?

Answer 1

Malnutrition
Not breast feeding
Low birth weight
Lack of immunisations particularly measles
Crowding, air pollution

Question 2

Aetiology of pneumonia?

Answer 2

RSV much more common in developing countries

Question 3

Diagnosis of pneumonia - which tests useful in children?

Answer 3

Hx and Ex
WCC
Blood culture and pleural tap (only way of getting micro organism as children do not do sputum sample, contaminated with saliva)
Viral PCR swab
Pertussis swab from nasopharynx (only bacteria that can be isolated in this way due to colonisation)
Mycoplasma serology

Question 4

Signs of bacterial pneumonia?

Answer 4

Grunting, nasal flaring, v.high RR (>50), recession