title: Evaluating for immunodeficiency in children with recurrent infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Children have infections more frequently than adults. It may, therefore, be difficult to identify the rare child with immunodeficiency among the many who have recurrent infections but who have a normal immune system.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The focus of this article will be on differentiating normal children from those with childhood primary immunodeficiency, through thorough clinical evaluation, and outlining some of the more important immunodeficiency diagnoses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When investigating for immunodeficiency, the best available diagnostic tool is a thoughtful clinician with a good working knowledge of what is normal in terms of frequency and severity of childhood infection.
authors.affiliation: Adrian YS Lee, BMedSc (Hons), AYMF, LMusA, is a medical student, Tasmanian School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart TAS.
authors.forename: Adrian Ys
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Paul Ea
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D007159:Immunologic Tests / Q000379:methods; D011364:Professional Practice; D012008:Recurrence