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Pneumonia — DCH MCQ

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EasyCommon childhood illnessesPneumoniaDCH

A 4-year-old boy has fever, cough and abdominal pain. His respiratory rate is 42/min, oxygen saturation 94% in air, temperature 39.1°C, and there are focal crackles at the right base. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: D — Community-acquired pneumonia

Fever with tachypnoea and focal crackles is most consistent with pneumonia, and abdominal pain may be a referred symptom in lower-lobe disease. Viral-induced wheeze can cause tachypnoea but would usually have widespread wheeze rather than focal crepitations. A useful DCH point is that abdominal pain in a febrile child should not distract from a respiratory examination.

Reference: NICE CKS Chest infections - children