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Fifteen-minute consultation: the infant with frequent infections
  1. Penelope A Bryant1,2,
  2. Mike South2,3,4
  1. 1Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
  2. 2Department of General Medicine, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
  3. 3Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
  4. 4University of Melbourne Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children’s Hospital, Parkville, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Penelope Bryant, Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of General Medicine, The Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; penelope.bryant{at}rch.org.au

Abstract

Children with frequent or recurrent infections commonly present to medical practitioners in both primary and secondary care. Here we provide a structured approach to the consultation of the infant under 2 years of age with frequent infections. The key is a focused history and examination to elicit red flags to an underlying diagnosis, while at the same time seeking benign explanations for the frequency of infections, which account for the majority of children, thereby avoiding unnecessary investigations.

  • Infectious Diseases
  • Immunology
  • Respiratory
  • Allergy

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