22: Recurrent Pneumonia

Recurrent pneumonia is defined as 3 or more episodes of pneumonia in a lifetime or 2 episodes within a 12-month period.^1,2,3  In pediatric practice, the diagnosis of pneumonia is commonly established based on clinical history and physical examination findings alone without chest radiographs, despite recommendations for radiographic confirmation in community-acquired pneumonia in adults.⁴  Diagnosing a pneumonia based on clinical findings alone is challenging in the pediatric population because the signs and symptoms of pneumonia, asthma, and bronchiolitis often overlap in infants.⁴  Clinicians often neglect to obtain a follow-up radiograph to document resolution of...