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Updated: Sep 14, 2026
Sublingual Immunotherapy as an Alternative to Induce Protection Against Acute Respiratory Infections
Published on: August 30, 2014
[Treatment of acute upper respiratory tract infections in children]
Nevenka Roncević1, Jelena Popadić, Aleksandra Stojadinović
1Institut za zdravstvenu zastitu dece i omladine, Medicinski fakultet, Novi Sad.
Insights
Childhood respiratory infections are common, often viral. Treatment guidelines emphasize individualized antimicrobial therapy based on likely pathogens and patient factors for optimal outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
Context:
- Acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) are the most frequent childhood illnesses, with preschool children experiencing 5-7 upper airway infections annually.
- Upper airway infections constitute 80-90% of all pediatric respiratory infections.
- Viral etiology accounts for 75% of ARTIs, with bacterial and other pathogens causing the remainder.
Purpose:
- To provide evidence-based guidelines for the treatment of pediatric respiratory infections.
- To outline the principles of antimicrobial therapy selection for respiratory infections in children.
- To emphasize the importance of individualized treatment strategies in pediatric respiratory care.
Summary:
- Treatment for respiratory infections involves antimicrobial therapy, symptom relief, and general pediatric care principles.
- Antimicrobial drug selection depends on pathogen identification, sensitivity, patient age, condition, history, and allergies.
- Empirical therapy decisions are based on prevalent agents and potential severity when definitive data is unavailable, allowing for later modification.
Impact:
- Optimizing antimicrobial use in pediatric respiratory infections can reduce morbidity and mortality.
- Standardized treatment guidelines improve the management of common childhood illnesses.
- Individualized patient assessment is crucial for effective and safe treatment of respiratory infections in children.
Introduction:
Acute respiratory tract infections are the most common diseases of childhood. A preschool child suffers up to 5-7 infections of upper airways during a year. Upper airway infections make 80-90% of all respiratory infections.
Etiology And Treatment:
In 75% of all cases respiratory infections are of viral etiology, 15% of bacterial and 10% are caused by mycoplasma, rickettsiae, fungi, parasites. The treatment of respiratory infections includes antimicrobial therapy (causal), relief of symptoms (symptomatic) and application of general principles of child treatment. The choice of antimicrobial drug is based on the evidence of agents and their sensitivity to antimicrobial drugs, age, patient's condition, previous treatment and possible allergic reactions to the drug. In cases where adequate specimen cannot be obtained for microbiologic tests, when these tests do not reveal the agent, or therapy must start before evidence of the agent is available, we must decide about the therapy, taking in consideration the most frequent agents, and those that would cause the most devastating clinical picture. This therapy can be modified later, according to the isolated agent and its sensitivity to the drug. Considering the incidence and importance of respiratory infections in morbidity and mortality of children, the aim of this article was to present guidelines in treatment of respiratory infections. The main point remains that the treatment should take into consideration the individual patient before all.
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