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[Acute fever without source in infants and children less than 36 months of age]

E de A Trotta1, A E Gilio

  • 1Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Jornal De Pediatria
|December 20, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Fever without source in young children requires careful diagnosis and management. This review provides practical recommendations for pediatricians to navigate the complexities of febrile infants and children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Febrile children represent a significant portion of pediatric outpatient visits, predominantly those under three years old.
  • Differentiating viral illnesses, occult bacteremia, and serious bacterial infections in febrile infants can be challenging due to overlapping clinical presentations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To consolidate current knowledge on fever without source in children younger than 36 months.
  • To offer practical guidance on the diagnosis and management of fever without source in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

  • A review of relevant literature was conducted.
  • Information was synthesized and presented with author recommendations for practical application.

Main Results:

  • Physicians are provided with literature-based recommendations and protocols for managing infants and children presenting with fever without a clear source.
  • The review highlights the overlap in clinical signs among various causes of fever in young children.

Conclusions:

  • No single diagnostic or management strategy is universally optimal for all febrile infants.
  • Pediatricians should individualize patient management based on clinical experience and interpretation of available guidelines for fever without source.

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