Bronchiolitis - What will happen?

Most young children with bronchiolitis aren't seriously ill and recover within a week. But some babies and infants have difficulties breathing and may need to go to hospital. Bronchiolitis can be life threatening, especially for children who have other serious heart or lung diseases.

You can care for a child who is not seriously ill at home. Make sure they rest and have plenty to drink.

But if your child has serious breathing problems or is not drinking enough (they are dehydrated) you may need to take your child to hospital. Most babies need to stay in hospital for only a short time to make sure they eat and drink enough. Your baby may be fed through a tube passed through their mouth and into their stomach. Rarely, a child may be given fluids though a drip into the bloodstream (intravenously).

About 1 in 50 babies with bronchiolitis who go to hospital also need help to breathe from a ventilating machine. Babies at high risk because of another serious lung or heart disease are much more likely to need this help.[1]

A very small number of babies become extremely ill and may die.[1] Children are much more at risk if they have another serious lung or heart disease. About 3 in 100 children who already have heart or lung problems may die from bronchiolitis within two weeks. But just 1 in 1,000 children who are at risk for other reasons are likely to die if they get severe bronchiolitis.

Bronchiolitis may increase the chance of getting asthma later, but we don't know for sure. One study found it made no difference.[2] But another study showed that children who had bronchiolitis were twice as likely to have asthma five years later.[3]

References

Navas L, Wang E, de Carvalho V, et al. Improved outcome of respiratory syncytial virus infections in a high-risk hospitalized population of Canadian children. Journal of Pediatrics. 1992; 121: 348-354.
McConnochie KM, Mark JD, McBride JT, et al. Normal pulmonary function measurements and airway reactivity in childhood after mild bronchiolitis. Journal of Pediatrics. 1985; 107: 54-58.
Sly PD, Hibbert ME. Childhood asthma following hospitalization with acute viral bronchiolitis in infancy. Pediatric Pulmonology. 1989; 7: 153-158.

Glossary

asthma: Asthma is a disease of the lungs. It makes you wheeze, cough and feel short of breath. Asthma attacks are caused by inflammation and narrowing of your airways, which makes it hard for air to pass in and out of your lungs.

This information does not replace medical advice. If you are concerned you might have a medical problem please ask your Boots pharmacy team in your local Boots store, or see your doctor.