Elk Grove Village, IL—(ENEWSPF)—November 3, 2014. An updated guideline from the American Academy of Pediatrics offers pediatricians guidance in diagnosing, treating and preventing bronchiolitis, a disorder commonly caused by viral infections of the lower respiratory tract that is the most common cause of hospitalization among infants under 1 year of age. The guideline, “Clinical Practice Guideline: The Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Bronchiolitis,” is published in the November 2014 Pediatrics (published online Oct. 27).
It updates and revises a previous guideline published in 2006. The new guideline, which applies to children from 1 to 23 months of age, emphasizes that testing for specific viruses is unnecessary because bronchiolitis may be caused by multiple viruses. Because evidence shows bronchodilators are not effective in changing the course of the illness, the new guideline no longer recommends a trial dose of a bronchodilator. The guideline updates recommendations for use of palivizumab for prevention of infections associated with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), to align with an AAP policy statement published in July 2014. The guideline, which is based on a comprehensive evidence review, emphasizes that only supportive care such as oxygen and hydration is strongly recommended in bronchiolitis.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 62,000 primary cared pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org
Source: www.aap.org
