Antibiotic prescribing changes for pneumonia in children

Pneumonia is defined as an infection of the lung tissue, in which the alveoli become filled with micro-organisms, fluid and inflammatory cells, affecting the function of the lungs. Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) has a mortality rate of around 1% in those who are managed in primary care, rising to up to 14% for those admitted to hospital and to 30% for those who need intensive care. GPs need to risk stratify and make logical decisions as to who can be managed in the community, and who needs referral and consideration of admission. In this blog post we discuss the NICE guidance on Antibiotic prescribing changes for pneumonia in children which was launched in September 2025.