Bronchiolitis is a respiratory infection that affects younger girls and boys, especially children under 6 months. This infection predominates in the autumn and winter months. The germs that usually cause bronchiolitis are viruses.
How can it be prevented?
- The contact of babies with colds should be avoided.
- Wash your hands before caring for boys and girls. Wash their hands frequently.
- Breastfeed the boy or girl.
- Avoid cigarette smoke in the environment and on clothing.
- Children should receive all vaccinations indicated by the doctor.
- You should avoid overcrowding and crowded places in winter. Ventilate the environment where the child is every day, no matter how cold it is.
What are the symptoms that bronchiolitis produces?
- Nasal mucus or nasal congestion, cough and eventually fever during the previous 3 days.
- During bronchiolitis, rapid breathing, sinking of the skin between the ribs, noisy breathing and wheezing in the chest may occur, which can last up to 5 days.
What to do when bronchiolitis is suspected?
If you suspect bronchiolitis, you should consult your pediatrician quickly. The follow-up of the child with bronchiolitis will be done at home or with hospitalization, depending on the severity of the case.
What symptoms can be severity criteria that indicate hospitalization ?
- Breathing pauses (apneas) with bluish skin color.
- Lack of response to treatments given by the doctor.
- Difficulty marked for feeding or sleeping.
Which is the treatment?
- Offer plenty of liquid by mouth.
- Try to keep eating. Maintain breastfeeding. If you breathe too fast, offer food in small quantities.
- In case of fever, use the antidermal that the pediatrician recommended.
- Clean the mucus from the child’s nose. Keep the child in a semi-sitting position.
- According to the pediatrician’s indication you can use salbutamol. The administration of this medication is done using aerosols and aerochamber. The recommended dose is 2 puffs every 4 or 6 hours depending on the evolution and / or the medical indication.
- The use of antibiotics, cough syrups, decongestants or homemade teas is not recommended.
How is the follow-up of the child with bronchiolitis?
Children treated at home should be monitored daily for the first 48 hours and then periodically according to the evolution until final discharge. Fathers, mothers or caregivers of the child should be alert to the appearance of warning signs during follow-up, such as difficulty feeding or sleeping, difficult breathing or fever. Faced with these symptoms, the pediatrician should be consulted quickly.
