Upper respiratory infections in children

Abstract

Upper respiratory tract infection is one of the most common illnesses affecting children. On average, children experience around six to eight upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) each year. Although these infections usually are mild and self limiting, they occasionally lead to complications that can be life threatening. Most URTIs can be placed within four main categories of infection: nasopharyngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis and otitis media. Within each category of illness, there is a range of related conditions that may have similar or overlapping clinical presentations. A sound judgment is required to determine the most affected part of the respiratory mucosa. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of URTIs in children will be reviewed here.