Chest Physiotherapy in Pediatrics Patients With Pneumonia

Chest Physiotherapy in Pediatric Patients Hospitalised With Community-acquired Pneumonia: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Chest physiotherapy has been used to treat pediatric patients hospitalized with pneumonia however there was no evidence to support a beneficial effect in pediatric patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 1 to 12 years with acute community-acquired pneumonia (cough, tachypnea, fever and with a chest radiography with lobar, segmental or bronchopneumonia within the first 48 hours)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Severely ill patients (hospitalized in intensive care units)
• Pleural effusion treated with chest drainage
• Atelectasis detected by x-ray
• Pneumonia or pleural effusion in the previous six months
• Other pulmonary underlying disease, heart disease, cerebral palsy or immune deficiency