Bronchiolitis is a condition that triggers the small airways that leads to the lungs to swell up and filled with mucus, thus making it difficult for the individual to breathe normally. This condition is considered prevalent among young children.
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It is important to note that bronchiolitis can be caused by various infections usually viruses such as RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), rhinovirus or flu.
What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?
The indications of bronchiolitis usually start as symptoms of the illness that eventually lead to it. In most cases, it includes the following:
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Low-grade fever
- Congestion
Due to the similarity of the symptoms to other respiratory conditions, some might simply consider it as a minor sickness. On the other hand, after a span of a few days, the symptoms of the individual with bronchiolitis will worsen with severe cough and wheezing. The severe symptoms include the following:
- Rapid heart rate
- Rapid, shallow breathing
- Nasal flaring
- Retractions
- Dehydration
- Fatigue and irritability
- Cyanosis
- Vomiting due to persistent coughing
- Poor feeding or diminished appetite among infants
In case the child has any of these severe symptoms, it is best to seek medical care right away for proper assessment as well as start the appropriate treatment as soon as possible.
Treatment of severe bronchiolitis
There are various viruses that are capable of triggering bronchiolitis. With this in mind, there is no precise medication that can cure them. Instead, the treatment of bronchiolitis mainly focuses on treating the symptoms.
Oftentimes, the doctor will prescribe medications to facilitate easy breathing. In some cases, children who have severe bronchiolitis require hospitalization to ensure that they are getting enough oxygen.
Treatment of bronchiolitis at home
In case the child has been diagnosed with bronchiolitis but does not have significant breathing difficulty, there are a number of measures that you can do to help him/her feel better.
- Ensure that the child gets enough fluids. Even though he/she might not be as hungry as usual, provide fluids frequently so that he/she will not become dehydrated.
- Administer saline drops and nasal suction to clear up the congestion from the nose.
- Use a cool mist humidifier to make breathing easier.
- Closely monitor for any indications of breathing difficulty.
How to prevent bronchiolitis
Even today, there is no vaccine available to prevent bronchiolitis from developing. The ideal way to prevent bronchiolitis is to prevent the conditions that cause it in the first place. Always observe proper hand washing and ensure that young infants are not exposed to individuals who are sick with the condition.
There are also shots that are available to children who are premature or those who are at high risk for RSV. Nevertheless, these shots only prevent infections from RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), not the other viruses that can also lead to bronchiolitis.