Bronchiolitis

What is bronchiolitis?

Bronchiolitis (say: "bronk-ee-oh-lie-tus") is a lung infection that can be caused by several kinds of viruses. Yound children, particularly those between 3 months and 6 months of age, get this illness in the winter and the early spring. Most children are sick for about a week to 10 days and then get well.

What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?

Your child will probably have a runny nose and a slight fever for 2 to 3 days. Then your child may begin to cough, breathe fast and wheeze (make a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing) for another 2 or 3 days.

What can I do for my child?

There are some things you can do when your child has bronchiolitis:
Have your child drink liquids. Don't worry if he or she doesn't feel like eating solid foods.
Use a cool-mist vaporizer in the bedroom while the child is sleeping.
Run hot water in the shower or bathtub to steam up the bathroom and sit in there with your child if he or she is coughing hard and having trouble breathing.
Give your child acetaminophen (some brand names: Children's or Infants' Tylenol), if he or she has a fever. Don't give your child aspirin. Aspirin has been associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare disease of the brain and liver.

When should I call the doctor?

You should call your doctor if:
Your child is vomiting and can't keep liquids down.
Your child is breathing very fast, more than 40 breaths in 1 minute.
Your child's skin develops a bluish color, especially around the lips or in the fingertips.
You can see your child's skin pull in between the ribs with each breath or your child has to sit up to be able to breathe.
Your child has had heart disease or was born prematurely. In this case, call the doctor at the first signs of this illness.

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