Background: When clinicians want to prescribe prolonged antibiotic therapy for children who have been hospitalized with a serious bacterial infection they have two options: (1) discontinue the intravenous antibiotics and discharge the child to receive a prolonged course of oral antibiotics at home; or (2) insert a central venous catheter (usually a peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC)), train the parents in care of the PICC and administration of intravenous antibiotics, and discharge the child to receive a prolonged course of intravenous antibiotics via the central venous catheter at home. These two options have major implications for the overall experience of the child and their caregiver, but there is a paucity of evidence on their comparative effectiveness to help clinicians, patients, and their caregivers make an informed choice.