Bronchiolitis
What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is a seasonal viral chest infection, seen mainly in autumn and winter. It tends to affect infants in the first year of life.
What are the symptoms?
The condition usually starts with the symptoms of a cold, such as a blocked nose, a cough and, in about half of all cases, a mild fever.
In bronchiolitis, the virus causes widespread swelling in the walls of the small airways, which narrows them. Air tends to become trapped in the lungs and, as a result, the child’s breathing will tend to become more shallow and rapid. Sometimes a wheeze will be heard on breathing out.
How long does it last?
The majority of infants with viral bronchiolitis recover completely within 7 to 10 days. However, a small number may have symptoms (most commonly a cough) that persist for 3 or 4 weeks.
How is it treated?
Because bronchiolitis is a viral infection, antibiotics will not help. (Antibiotics are only effective in treating infections caused by bacteria.) Similarly, medications such as Ventolin, steroids and antihistamines are not usually recommended.
If the child has a fever, this can be treated with paracetamol.
What else should I do?
Infants with bronchiolitis need lots of fluids. Commonly, the breathing difficulties associated with viral bronchiolitis affect the child’s ability to feed, especially in infants younger than 6 months. To meet the increased need for fluids, it’s often best to give infants small amounts more often, as this is usually better tolerated.
It is important that a child with the condition does not become dehydrated. This can be checked by monitoring the number of feeds the child is taking and the number of wet nappies.
Should my child be in hospital?
Usually, viral bronchiolitis is a mild illness that can be managed at home. However, occasionally it can be more severe and hospital admission is necessary.
A child will need to be treated in hospital if their fluid intake is inadequate and they are becoming dehydrated, or if they are having difficulty breathing. Hospital admission is more likely in very young children and in children with other medical conditions such as cystic fibrosis or a heart defect.
In hospital, children with viral bronchiolitis will usually be given fluids either intravenously (through a drip) or through a nasogastric tube (a tube that’s inserted through the nose and goes to the stomach). They will also be given oxygen if necessary and assistance with their breathing in severe cases.
Can it be prevented?
Viral bronchiolitis is not entirely preventable. However, the risk of contracting the illness can be minimised during the high-risk season. Avoid crowds, especially in confined areas such as shopping centres, and avoid close contact with people who have cold symptoms. Good and frequent hand washing by parents and carers can also reduce the risk.
There is as yet no vaccine commercially available against the most common cause of viral bronchiolitis, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Last Reviewed: 31 March 2006
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