What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection in the airways and lungs of young children.
What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?
Home care
Clear your baby’s nose with bulb suction before feeding and sleeping to improve breathing. Adding a drop of saltwater (Ocean®) to your baby’s nose before suctioning may help loosen mucus.
Use of a cool-mist humidifier may decrease congestion and make your child’s breathing easier. Do not use a warm water humidifier because if the water is spilled, it can burn your child.
If your child seems to have a mild illness and is not eating or drinking well, try increasing fluid intake by offering small amounts more often.
For children under one year of age, give 1-2 ounces of formula, breast milk, or rehydration therapy (e.g. Pedialyte®, Rehydrate®, Infalyte®) every 30 minutes to an hour.
Do not give children under 2 large amounts of water.
Older children who are more severely dehydrated (see warning signs) should be given only rehydration therapy.
Continue to take your child’s temperature every 2-4 hours until the fever is controlled.
Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®, Tempra®, or Panadol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) for fever, pain, and discomfort. Avoid ibuprofen, however, if your child is dehydrated or unable to eat or drink well.
Follow the package instructions to determine the appropriate dose by your child’s WEIGHT or age for acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Do not give aspirin to children because of the increased risk of Reye’s Syndrome with certain infections.
Controlling your child’s fever may decrease the risk of febrile seizure.
Warnings signs – Call our office for advice if:
Your child is listless or unresponsive, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is having difficulty breathing, Call Our Office Now. We may ask you to put your child on the phone so we can listen to his breathing.
Your child has difficulty breathing to the extent that his skin seems to be sucked in between the ribs or the throat, retractions, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is breathing faster than normal, Call Our Office Now.
Your child refuses to drink, Call Our Office Now.
Your child has any signs of dehydration such as no tears while crying, dry lips and mouth, fewer wet diapers (around 6 per day is normal), or sunken eyes, Call Our Office Now.
Your child’s skin appears blue around the nose or mouth, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is less than 6 months old and has a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is older than 6 months and has a temperature greater than 102.5 degrees F, Call Our Office Now.
You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child’s symptoms, Call Our Office Now.What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is a common viral infection in the airways and lungs of young children.
What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?
Home care
Clear your baby’s nose with bulb suction before feeding and sleeping to improve breathing. Adding a drop of saltwater (Ocean®) to your baby’s nose before suctioning may help loosen mucus.
Use of a cool-mist humidifier may decrease congestion and make your child’s breathing easier. Do not use a warm water humidifier because if the water is spilled, it can burn your child.
If your child seems to have a mild illness and is not eating or drinking well, try increasing fluid intake by offering small amounts more often.
For children under one year of age, give 1-2 ounces of formula, breast milk, or rehydration therapy (e.g. Pedialyte®, Rehydrate®, Infalyte®) every 30 minutes to an hour.
Do not give children under 2 large amounts of water.
Older children who are more severely dehydrated (see warning signs) should be given only rehydration therapy.
Continue to take your child’s temperature every 2-4 hours until the fever is controlled.
Use acetaminophen (Tylenol®, Tempra®, or Panadol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®, Motrin®) for fever, pain, and discomfort. Avoid ibuprofen, however, if your child is dehydrated or unable to eat or drink well.
Follow the package instructions to determine the appropriate dose by your child’s WEIGHT or age for acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
Do not give aspirin to children because of the increased risk of Reye’s Syndrome with certain infections.
Controlling your child’s fever may decrease the risk of febrile seizure.
Warnings signs – Call our office for advice if:
Your child is listless or unresponsive, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is having difficulty breathing, Call Our Office Now. We may ask you to put your child on the phone so we can listen to his breathing.
Your child has difficulty breathing to the extent that his skin seems to be sucked in between the ribs or the throat, retractions, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is breathing faster than normal, Call Our Office Now.
Your child refuses to drink, Call Our Office Now.
Your child has any signs of dehydration such as no tears while crying, dry lips and mouth, fewer wet diapers (around 6 per day is normal), or sunken eyes, Call Our Office Now.
Your child’s skin appears blue around the nose or mouth, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is less than 6 months old and has a temperature greater than 100.4 degrees F, Call Our Office Now.
Your child is older than 6 months and has a temperature greater than 102.5 degrees F, Call Our Office Now.
You have any questions or concerns, or if you have any doubts about the severity of your child’s symptoms, Call Our Office Now.
Bronchiolitis
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