Journal of Research in Medical Sciences1735-199517220120215Assessment of a new algorithm in the management of acute respiratory tract infections in children70277027ENSeyed AhmadTabatabaeiSeyed AlirezaFahimzadAssistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Infections Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. pediatric_center@yahoo.comAhmad RezaShamshiriFaridehShivaShadabSalehporSHirinSayyahfarGhamartagKhanbabaeiShahnazArminSedighehRafii TabatabaeiAlirezaKhatamiMaryamKadivar201104052011111020111118BACKGROUND: To assess the practicability of a new algorithm in decreasing the rate of incorrect diagnoses and inappropriate antibiotic usage in pediatric Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARTI(METHODS: Children between 1 month to15 years brought to outpatient clinics of a children’s hospital with acute respiratory symptoms were managed according to the steps recommended in the algorithm. RESULTS: Upper Respiratory Tract Infection, Lower Respiratory Tract Infection, and undifferentiated ARTI accounted for 82%, 14.5%, and 3.5% of 1 209 cases, respectively. Antibiotics were prescribed in 33%; for: Common cold, 4.1%; Sinusitis, 85.7%; Otitis media, 96.9%; Pharyngotonsillitis, 63.3%; Croup, 6.5%; Bronchitis, 15.6%; Pertussis-like syndrome, 82.1%; Bronchiolitis, 4.1%; and Pneumonia, 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the ARTIs algorithm is practicable and can help to reduce diagnostic errors and rate of antibiotic prescription  in children with ARTIs.KEYWORDS: Acute Respiratory Tract Infection, Algorithm, Children