Table 2.

Indications for hospitalization.

Indications for Admission
Absolute Fever in patients aged ≤3 months Persistence of high-grade fever (>38.5 °C) over 5 days O2 saturation <92% or signs of respiratory distress or tachypnoea: • 0–2 months = 60 acts/min • 2–12 months = 50 acts/min • 1–5 years = 40 acts/min • >5 years = 20 acts/min Convulsions or neurological symptoms Lethargy, altered consciousness Need for parenteral treatment and procedures (e. g. antibiotic therapy, chemotherapy, transfusions, lumbar puncture) Surgical necessity and/or acute pain (e.g., renal colic, head trauma) Cyanogenic heart diseases Alteration of myocardial enzymes, coagulation, liver cytolysis indices or alteration of lactic dehydrogenase
Related
Age 3–12 months or chronic illness or obesity and at least one of the following: • Persistence of fever for 3–5 days • O2 saturation <94%-mild respiratory distress • Extrapulmonary complications • Co-infections • Prematurity (<34 weeks EG)–small for gestational age (<2000 g) • Relapse of chronic illness requiring hospital procedures (e.g., acidosis)