Assessment of the child with recurrent respiratory infections.
BACKGROUND
Children with atopy, daycare attendance, crowding or exposure to cigarette smoke are predisposed to recurrent respiratory infection. The young child who 'is always sick' is a common problem, creating concern for their parents and doctors.


OBJECTIVE
To outline an approach for determining which children with recurrent respiratory infections are normal, which have an allergic disorder and which have an underlying immune or other problem.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of children with recurrent respiratory tract infections are normal, however, it is important to consider atopy and underlying immunodeficiency. In those children where there are features suggesting an underlying immunological disorder, specialist assessment is warranted.
Towns
S
S
Department of Adolescent Medicine, New Children's Hospital, New South Wales. Suet2@nch.edu.au
Wong
M
M
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control; D004782:Environmental Health; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012008:Recurrence; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
D000393:Air Pollutants; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents