Optimizing Early Diagnosis and Management of Respiratory Infections in Pediatric Patients

Abstract

Respiratory infections are a leading cause of illness and death in children worldwide, requiring improvements in early diagnosis and management. Clinical symptoms are often nonspecific, making timely and accurate detection challenging. This article reviews advances in diagnostic tools such as biomarkers (procalcitonin, CRP) and molecular methods (multiplex PCR), which improve pathogen identification and treatment decisions. The role of clinical decision support systems in guiding antibiotic use and standardizing care is also discussed.Based on a systematic review and clinical case analyses, we show that integrating rapid diagnostics with tailored management reduces unnecessary antibiotic use, hospital stays, and complications. Challenges remain in low-resource settings where limited diagnostic access leads to overprescription and poorer outcomes. The study highlights the need for affordable diagnostic tools and stewardship programs to improve care globally.Through case studies and data analysis, this research demonstrates how optimized diagnostic pathways enable early, accurate diagnosis and individualized treatment, supporting better patient outcomes and efforts to combat antimicrobial resistance.