IMCI: infant & child health
Integrated Management of Childhood Illness: assessment, classification, management and follow-up. Choose an entry for its stated age group.
53 IMCI entries · Page 1 of 2
Acute Ear Infection (Acute Otitis Media - AOM)
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with ear problem presenting with ear pain OR pus draining from the ear for less than 14 days, and NO tender swelling behind the ear. Requires treatment with an oral antibiotic and pain relief.
Anaemia
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child presenting with some palmar pallor (palms look pale, but not severely white). Requires investigation for malaria, treatment with iron (unless contraindicated), and follow-up.
Chronic Ear Infection (Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media - CSOM)
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with ear problem presenting with pus draining from the ear for 14 days or more, and NO tender swelling behind the ear. Requires topical ear drop treatment and careful drying.
Complicated Severe Acute Malnutrition
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with severe wasting (low Weight-for-Height/Length Z-score or low MUAC) OR nutritional oedema, who ALSO has a medical complication, fails an appetite test (if >=6m), or has a breastfeeding problem (if <6m). This re…
Confirmed HIV Infection (Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (<2 months) with a confirmed positive HIV virological test (DNA PCR). Requires immediate linkage to HIV care, initiation of ART, and co-trimoxazole prophylaxis.
Confirmed HIV Infection
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with a confirmed positive HIV test (DNA PCR if <18m, Rapid Test if >=18m). Requires linkage to HIV care and treatment (ART) clinic, co-trimoxazole prophylaxis, and ongoing monitoring.
Cough or Cold
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with cough or difficult breathing who does NOT have signs of pneumonia (no chest indrawing, no fast breathing) or very severe disease (no danger signs, no stridor). Usually a viral upper respiratory infection.
Dysentery
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with diarrhoea who has blood visible in the stool. Requires treatment with an appropriate antibiotic effective against Shigella.
Feeding Problem or Low Weight for Age (Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a breastfed young infant presenting with feeding difficulties (not well attached, not suckling effectively, <8 feeds/24h), receiving other foods/drinks, having thrush, OR having low weight for age (WFZ between -3 and -2).…
Fever - No Malaria
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child presenting with fever (or history/hot/temp ≥37.5°C) who has a negative malaria test OR malaria test was not done but no obvious cause of fever identified, AND no signs of Very Severe Febrile Disease. Requires mana…
General Danger Signs / Very Severe Disease
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Identification of any life-threatening general danger sign in children aged 2 months to 5 years, indicating a Very Severe Disease requiring immediate urgent attention and pre-referral treatment before transport to a hospital.
HIV Exposed
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for an infant or child (<18 months) born to an HIV-positive mother who has not yet had definitive HIV testing (or had a negative DNA PCR while still breastfeeding/recently stopped) OR has a positive antibody test (<18m). Requ…
HIV Exposed: Possible HIV Infection (Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (<2 months) born to an HIV-positive mother, whose own HIV status is not yet confirmed negative by virological testing after cessation of exposure. Requires co-trimoxazole prophylaxis from 6 weeks, ARV proph…
HIV Infection Status Unknown (Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (<2 months) whose mother's HIV status is unknown and the infant has not been tested. Requires counselling and urgent offering of HIV testing for the mother.
HIV Infection Status Unknown
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for an infant or child (<18 months) whose mother's HIV status is unknown AND the child has not been tested. Requires counselling and offering of HIV testing for the mother (and child if mother tests positive).
HIV Infection Unlikely (Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (<2 months) whose mother has tested HIV negative. Requires routine infant care.
HIV Infection Unlikely
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child whose mother has tested HIV negative OR the child (<18m) tested negative via DNA PCR after cessation of breastfeeding OR the child (>=18m) tested negative via rapid test. Requires routine care.
Infection Unlikely
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant who has been assessed for infection and has NO signs of PSBI/Very Severe Disease, Pneumonia (if 7-59 days old), or Local Bacterial Infection.
Jaundice
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant with jaundice appearing AFTER the first 24 hours of life AND palms and soles are NOT yellow. Usually physiological or less severe pathological jaundice, requires monitoring and advice.
Local Bacterial Infection
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant presenting with redness or pus draining from the umbilicus, or skin pustules, but NO signs of PSBI/Very Severe Disease. Requires treatment with an oral antibiotic and local care.
Malaria
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child presenting with fever (or history/hot/temp ≥37.5°C) who has a positive malaria test (RDT or microscopy) and NO signs of Very Severe Febrile Disease. Requires treatment with a recommended first-line antimalarial.
Mastoiditis
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with ear problem presenting with tender swelling behind the ear. This is a serious bacterial infection of the mastoid bone requiring immediate antibiotic treatment and urgent referral.
Measles
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with measles now (or within last 3 months) who has NO signs of severe or specific eye/mouth complications. Requires Vitamin A treatment and supportive home care.
Measles with Eye or Mouth Complications
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with measles now (or within last 3 months) who has pus draining from the eye OR mouth ulcers, but NO signs of severe complicated measles (no danger signs, no corneal clouding, mouth ulcers not deep/extensive). Req…
Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM)
Age: 6 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with moderate wasting (WFH/L between -3 and -2 Z-scores OR MUAC between 115mm and 125mm) and NO nutritional oedema. Requires counselling on feeding, potential supplementary feeding support, and monitoring.
No Acute Malnutrition
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child who does not meet criteria for Severe or Moderate Acute Malnutrition (WFH/L >= -2 Z-score OR MUAC >= 125mm [if >=6m]) and has NO nutritional oedema. General feeding advice applies.
No Anaemia
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child whose palms are not pale (pink). No specific treatment for anaemia required.
No Dehydration (Young Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant with diarrhoea who does not have sufficient signs to classify as Some or Severe Dehydration. Requires home management focused on preventing dehydration through continued frequent breastfeeding and supplemen…
No Dehydration
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with diarrhoea who does not have sufficient signs to classify as Some or Severe Dehydration. Requires home management with increased fluids, zinc, continued feeding, and advice on when to return (Plan A).
No Ear Infection
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child assessed for an ear problem who has NO ear pain AND NO pus draining from the ear AND NO tender swelling behind the ear.
No Feeding Problem or Low Weight
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant who is feeding well (well attached, suckling effectively, >=8 feeds/24h, exclusively breastfed) and is NOT low weight for age (WFZ >= -2) and has NO thrush.
No Jaundice
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant who has been assessed and has no visible yellow discoloration of the skin or eyes.
No Presumptive TB (Young Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a sick young infant who does NOT have symptoms or signs suggestive of TB and does not meet weight criteria for presumptive TB. Requires routine management for other conditions.
No TB
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child who has NO symptoms or signs suggestive of active TB disease AND no known recent contact with an infectious TB case.
Persistent Diarrhoea
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child whose diarrhoea has lasted 14 days or more but who currently has NO signs of dehydration. Requires specific dietary advice and follow-up.
Pneumonia (Young Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant aged 7 days to 59 days presenting with fast breathing (>= 60 breaths/minute) but NO severe chest indrawing or other signs of PSBI/Very Severe Disease. Requires treatment with an oral antibiotic.
Pneumonia
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child with cough or difficult breathing who has chest indrawing OR fast breathing, but NO general danger signs and NO stridor when calm. Requires treatment with an oral antibiotic.
Possible Serious Bacterial Infection or Very Severe Disease
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (birth to 2 months) presenting with specific signs indicating a high risk of severe bacterial infection (like sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia) or other very severe conditions. Requires immediate pre-referral …
Presumptive TB (Young Infant)
Age: 0 - 2 months
Classification for a young infant (<2 months) with symptoms suggestive of Tuberculosis OR weight <1.5kg OR WFA <-3 Z-score. Requires referral for further assessment and management.
Severe Anaemia
Age: 2 months - 5 years
Classification for a child presenting with severe palmar pallor (palms look very pale, almost white). This indicates severe anaemia requiring urgent investigation and management, likely including referral.