| > | | | | child may begin to cough, breathe fast and wheeze |
| Find out about bronchiolitis, how to detect it and how | | | | (make a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing) |
| to treat it. Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the | | | | for another 2 or 3 days.Treatment of BronchiolitisIf a |
| bronchioles, the smallest air passages of the lungs. | | | | baby is very distressed, and having trouble feeding, |
| Bronchiolitis starts out with signs and symptoms | | | | he may need to be admitted to hospital where he |
| similar to those of a common cold but then | | | | can be closely observed, given oxygen and |
| progresses to coughing and wheezing. However, in | | | | sometimes fluid through a drip (intravenous |
| babies and toddlers whose bronchioles are smaller | | | | therapy).Often the illness is mild, and does not need |
| and easier to plug, these viruses often cause | | | | any special treatment.Intravenous (IV) fluids if your |
| bronchiolitis when inhaled. The illness affects infants | | | | child is unable to drink well .Bronchodilating drugs are |
| and young children most often because their small | | | | often used but efficacy not proven. If there is no |
| airways can become blocked more easily than those | | | | clinical response after one treatment, use should be |
| of older children or adults. Although it's often a mild | | | | stopped. Home TreatmentThe best treatment for |
| illness, some infants are at risk for a more severe | | | | most kids is time to recover and plenty of fluids. |
| disease that requires hospitalization. Babies who | | | | Making sure a child drinks enough fluids can be a |
| attend day care are less likely to get bronchiolitis than | | | | tricky task, however, because infants with |
| those who stay home with a parent who smokes. | | | | bronchiolitis may not feel like drinking. They should be |
| Although a child's bout of bronchiolitis may be scary, | | | | offered fluids in small amounts at more frequent |
| particularly for parents, signs and symptoms typically | | | | intervals than usual.Prevention Most cases of |
| last for about a week and then go away. In the | | | | bronchiolitis are not readily preventable because the |
| meantime, you can take a number of self-help | | | | viruses that cause the disorder are common in the |
| measures to make your child more | | | | environment. Careful attention to hand washing, |
| comfortable.Causes of BronchiolitisBronchiolitis is | | | | especially around infants, can aid in the prevention or |
| caused by a virus - in the majority of cases one | | | | spread of respiratory viruses.Family members with an |
| called the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).Symptoms | | | | upper respiratory infection should be especially careful |
| of BronchiolitisYour child will probably have a runny | | | | around infants. Wash hands frequently, especially |
| nose and a slight fever for 2 to 3 days. Then your | | | | before handling the child. |