BRONCHIOLITIS
Bronchiolitis is a viral infection of the very small airways (the bronchioles) of the lungs. It can be caused by many different viruses, but the most common cause is a virus called RSV, or Respiratory Syncytial Virus. Bronchiolitis occurs most often during the winter. It usually occurs in young children, although the same viruses tend to cause mild colds in older children and adults. Because bronchiolitis is a viral infection, antibiotics will not be helpful.
Bronchiolitis may cause your child to wheeze; wheezing is a high-pitched whistling noise that can be heard (usually with a stethoscope) when your child breathes out. Bronchiolitis may also cause your child to breath faster, to cough, and/or to have a fever and a runny or congested nose.
While your child is ill with bronchiolitis, you can help him or her to be more comfortable by doing the following:
- Run hot water in the shower with the bathroom door closed. Take your child in the bathroom to breathe in the steam.
- Use a cool mist humidifier in his or her room. Breathing cool moist air is very soothing and helps make breathing easier.
- Use a bulb syringe and saline (salt water) nose drops to help keep your child's nose clear. Clean the nose especially just before feeding and sleeping. Saline nose drops can be purchased at the pharmacy. Never use any other kinds of nose drops in small children.
- To help with feeding, offer small frequent feedings and allow plenty of time to rest while feeding.
- As always, do not let anyone smoke near your child. Tobacco smoke can be particularly troublesome when your child has an infection.
- Sometimes we will prescribe a medication to help open up the small airways in the lungs. If this is the case, be sure to give the medication as directed. Over-the-counter cough and cold medications probably will not be very helpful for children with bronchiolitis.
Call our office immediately if your child's breathing seems more labored and difficult or if you notice that the skin between his ribs sinks in more when he or she breathes. Also call us if he or she is breathing faster than usual (especially if it is more that 60 times a minute) or he or she cannot eat or drink anything. Finally, let us know if your child has a persistent fever or if he or she is simply not getting better after several days.
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