Oral antibiotics appear to be as effective as parenteral antibiotics in the treatment of severe pneumonia in children

Acute respiratory infection (including pneumonia) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under five years of age in developing countries. Antibiotics are needed when a bacterial infection is suspected. When children are hospitalised they often receive injectable antibiotics. This has disadvantages: pain, risk of other infections and cost. There are studies that show that oral antibiotics are effective when children are treated as outpatients. The objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness and safety of oral antibiotics compared to parenteral antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia in children less than five years old. Oral therapy appears to be an effective and safe alternative to parenteral antibiotics in hospitalised children with severe pneumonia who do not have any serious signs or symptoms. There is currently insufficient evidence to determine the relative benefits and harms of oral antibiotics in children with severe pneumonia if serious signs and symptoms are present or in children with severe pneumonia associated with bacterial confirmation or lobar consolidation on chest X-ray.