Clinical, nutritional and radiological features of pneumonia.

From December, 1992 to February, 1993, 100 consecutively admitted children between 2-24 months of age with pneumonia were studied. They were diagnosed and treated according to the National ARI Control Programme case management guidelines. Of the total, 74 were under one year of age. Seventeen children had very severe pneumonia, 77 severe pneumonia and 6 simple pneumonia. Sixty children had radiological evidence of pneumonia, 89 responded to standard recommended treatment and only 11% required a change of therapy. There were no deaths. Only 6 mothers of these 100 children had practiced exclusive breast feeding. Low socioeconomic status, illiteracy and malnutrition were the other risk factors. In this study all types of pneumonia were more common in children under one year of age and radiology did not appear to be essential for its diagnosis. The National ARI Control guidelines for diagnosis and management of hospitalized children are simple, useful and effective.