Publication date Sep 06, 2007
Bronchiolitis is an infection that can affect the lungs of babies and very young children. It makes them breathless and wheezy. It isn't usually serious, and most children recover at home. But some need hospital care.
Bronchiolitis is an infection of the small tubes inside a child's lungs. These tubes are called bronchioles, which is how it gets its name. They become swollen and full of mucus, which makes it harder for your child to breathe. Bronchiolitis is usually caused by a virus. It mainly affects children under 2 years old.
The symptoms of bronchiolitis aren't severe for most children. Your child may have a heavy cold, runny nose and a wheezy cough. They may also have a mild fever.
But some children have more serious problems with their breathing. Your child should see a doctor or be taken to hospital straight away if they:
Children with bronchiolitis can often be looked after at home. If your child is usually healthy, your doctor may just suggest you give them plenty of fluids and let them rest. If your child is in pain or has a fever, you can give them paracetamol syrup (Calpol). Take your child back to the doctor if they can't drink enough or they start to have difficulty breathing.
Medicines don't seem to make a big difference to children with bronchiolitis, so if your child has trouble breathing, they may need oxygen treatment in hospital.
Doctors sometimes give children with bronchiolitis drugs to open up their airways. These are the same drugs that are used to treat asthma. Examples include salbutamol (Ventolin), orciprenaline (Alupent) and adrenaline. These drugs are usually given through a type of inhaler, so your child breathes them in.
The research isn't good enough to know for certain that these drugs work. Drugs to open up the airways may help children with mild or moderate bronchiolitis. But they might not help if your child's bronchiolitis is more severe. There's also no evidence that bronchodilators given at home can stop your child having to go to hospital.
There's a risk of side effects from these drugs. A child who takes them may get a fast heartbeat, higher blood pressure, less oxygen in their blood, a cough, or muscle movements they can't control.
Children who are very ill with bronchiolitis may be given ribavirin (Virazole). It's a drug that fights viruses. But there's no good research to say that it will help. And it can have side effects. The lungs of some children go into a spasm after treatment.
Your child may need extra oxygen. It's given through a tube that's put in your child's nose, or through a type of hood that goes over their head. If your child still can't get enough oxygen, they may need to be put on a ventilating machine that breathes for them. But only about 1 in 50 babies who go to hospital need this.
Your child may be given food through a tube passed through their mouth and into their stomach. Some children need to be given fluids though a drip.
Most young children with bronchiolitis get better on their own at home. They'll usually be better in a week. About 1 in 5 children need to go to hospital. But even if your child needs hospital treatment, they'll usually only need to stay until doctors can make sure they can eat and drink enough.
If your child is usually healthy, it's very, very unlikely they will die of bronchiolitis. For babies who were born prematurely, very young babies or children with severe bronchiolitis, there's about a 1 in 1,000 risk of dying. Bronchiolitis is more serious for children who have a severe heart or lung disease, but most children still recover well. About 3 in 100 children with serious heart or lung problems die from bronchiolitis.
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.
© BMJ Publishing Group Limited ("BMJ Group") 2007. All rights reserved
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.