BMJ  2007;334:1163-1164 (2 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.39218.495255.AE

Practice

NICE guidelines

Assessment and initial management of feverish illness in children younger than 5 years: summary of NICE guidance

Martin Richardson, consultant paediatrician1, Monica Lakhanpaul, clinical co-director and senior lecturer in child health2, on behalf of the Guideline Development Group and the technical team

1 Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Peterborough PE3 6DA, 2 National Collaborating Centre for Women and Children's Health, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London NW1 4RG, and University of Leicester

Correspondence to: M Richardson martin.richardson@pbh-tr.nhs.uk

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Why read this summary?

Infectious diseases remain a major cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in the United Kingdom (personal communication, R MacFaul, Department of Health) with some evidence that this is associated with deficiencies in health care.1 Fever in young children usually indicates an underlying infection, but identifying the cause can pose a diagnostic challenge. In the absence of national guidance, feverish illness is variably managed across the UK. There is thus a perceived need to improve its assessment and management. This article summarises the most recent guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on how to assess and initially manage feverish illness in children aged under 5 years.2

Recommendations

NICE recommendations are based on systematic reviews of best available evidence. When minimal evidence is available, a range of consensus techniques is used to develop recommendations. In this summary, recommendations derived primarily from consensus techniques are indicated with an asterisk . . . [Full text of this article]

Assessment and management according to the risk of serious illness

Overcoming barriers


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Richardson, M, Lakhanpaul, M (2008). Feverish illness in children under 5 years. EDUCATION AND PRACTICE 93: 26-29 [Full text]  

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