Management of fever in infants and children.
There is no question that fever is a source of great consternation for parent and physician alike; however, it is impossible to predict with certainty the outcome of every febrile illness. Inherent in the words diagnostic impression is a degree of uncertainty. The only question remaining is how much uncertainty is in the best interest of the child. Physicians try to use the existing scientific data to best determine the prevalence of disease and outcome. At the same time, they must recognize the limitations of both the data and their ability to be generalized to every population. Everything clinicians do has risks and costs, which they must balance against the incidence of complications and the benefits of testing. To take away clinical judgment makes physicians technicians not clinicians.
Avner
Jeffrey R
JR
Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA. jravner@montefiore.org
Baker
M Douglas
MD
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology*; D006192:Haemophilus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D019741:Haemophilus influenzae type b; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents