Evaluation of Bronchitis and Pneumonia
Level A Recommendations Recommendation 11: The presence of a chronic wet cough requires further evaluation Recommendation 12: Children with more than one episode of lobar pneumonia should be evaluated for aspiration or underlying anatomical abnormalities Recommendation 13: Bronchoalveolar lavage is indicated for recurrent or persistent cough to rule out colonization of the airways by pathogens Recommendation 14: CT scan of the chest should be considered in cases of frequent respiratory infections Recommendation 15: CT scan of the chest is more useful as a baseline but not during an acute lower respiratory tract infection
Level B Recommendations Recommendation 16: Pneumonia in patients with EA/TEF should be confirmed by CXR
Level C Recommendations Recommendation 17: The threshold for obtaining CXR should be low because pneumonia in children with TEF may not be associated with fever Recommendation 18: CXR should be obtained in each episode of suspected pneumonia Recommendation 19: Chest CT should be considered in case of suspected pneumonia Recommendation 20: BAL should be considered in cases of suspected pneumonia Recommendation 21: Cultures from BAL should be obtained before starting antibiotics for suspected pneumonia Recommendation22: CBC with differential should be done only in cases of suspected pneumonia associated with fever