Key points below
What is it?
Bronchiolitis is an infection in the lungs. It is common in infants and young children. It is caused by a virus like a cold virus. Bronchiolitis happens when a cold virus moves to the chest. The virus causes swelling in the small airways in your child’s lungs. The lungs make a lot of mucus. Your child may cough and work harder to breathe.How can I help my child feel better?
• Offer plenty of fluids.For a child over 1 year old:
• Gatorade®
• Punch, apple juice
• Popsicles® For an infant under 1 year old:
• Use Pedialyte® or another infant electrolyte solution.
• Infants should still breast feed or drink formula.
• Do not give plain water.
• Use a cool mist humidifier in your baby's room. It can help your baby breathe more easily. Be sure to clean it often. Use the directions from the company that made it.
• Use salt-water or saline nose drops to loosen mucus in your baby's nose.
• Suction baby's nose using a bulb syringe or a Nose Frida. This helps before sleep, eating and as needed.
• Keep away from cigarette smoke.
• Good hand washing will prevent others from getting sick.
When should we come to the Emergency Room?
If your baby:• Is less than 8 weeks old and has a new temperature in the bottom (rectum) over 100.4°F (38.0°C)
• Is working harder to breathe and faster than before.
• Has signs of being very sick. This includes sleeping all the time or not drinking fluids.
• Has signs of dehydration. This includes not crying tears, dry mouth, no pee (urine) for 8 to 10 hours or poor activity.
Other helpful information:
If your child has bronchiolitis, it may be helpful to know that:
• Babies are often sick for 7 to10 days.
• Their cough may continue for 2 to 4 weeks.
• It is not uncommon for your child to have a cough for 2 to 3 weeks.
For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents