CKS is no longer commissioned by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). NICE remains committed to providing a replacement service for CKS and is currently reviewing its options. In the meantime, although CKS content is now not being maintained, it still remains relevant and will continue to be made available. CKS content was generated under a programme of topic creation and update. To check if the topic you are viewing is current or out of date, please refer to the topic publication details by clicking on the 'How up-to-date is this topic?' link in the left hand menu on individual topic pages.
Cough - acute with chest signs in children - Management
Quick answers
The correct clinical scenario for a child presenting with a respiratory tract infection and chest signs on examination requires an assessment to determine the underlying condition: bronchiolitis, pneumonia, viral-induced wheeze, or an infective exacerbation of asthma. For children with distinguishing features of asthma, see the CKS topic on Asthma.
- Scenario: Viral-induced wheeze/possible asthma: covers the management of a child less than 5 years of age presenting with wheeze in association with a respiratory tract infection. It includes children with viral-induced wheeze, and children presenting for the first time with an infective exacerbation of asthma when it may not be possible to distinguish asthma from viral-induced wheeze.
- Scenario: Bronchiolitis: covers the management of infants presenting in primary care with bronchiolitis.
- Scenario: Community-acquired pneumonia: covers the management a child presenting in primary care with pneumonia.
© NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement