Bronchiolitis is a common illness at this time of year. It affects infants between six months and two years of age. It is important to know the causes, symptoms and treatment in order to prevent it.
Bronchiolitis is an infection of the smallest bronchi that affects children under two years of age and especially those under six months of age. Pneumology experts assure that, although it can occur throughout the year, there is an endemic peak that occurs every winter, between the months of November and March.
Causes of bronchiolitis
The disease is caused by a virus, the most frequent being RSV, although there are other less frequent viruses that can cause it, such as rhinovirus or metapneumovirus.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a resistant virus that spreads very rapidly. It is transmitted through droplets that remain in the air when coughing within one meter of another person and, above all, through the hands. It can resist, maintaining its infectious capacity, for several hours on any surface.
Symptoms of bronchiolitis
It usually begins as a common constipation with nasal obstruction, some coughing and not very high fever. However, over the next 3-4 days, the cough intensifies, in spurts, and may be accompanied by shortness of breath and breath sounds such as wheezing or whistling.
These symptoms usually last for about a week, although it is in the first 2-3 days of the clinical picture that worsening is most frequent.
The disease tends to be more severe in younger children, especially those under three months of age, premature infants and those with congenital heart disease. In these cases, a physician should be consulted as soon as the first symptoms appear.
It is common that, after a first bronchiolitis, infants present other episodes with symptoms similar to those of the initial bronchiolitis when they are once again acutely ill. It has sometimes been shown that children who have had bronchiolitis in the first months of life are at greater risk of developing asthma in later childhood and adolescence than children who have never had bronchiolitis.
Warning signs
- The infant breathes faster and faster, the ribs are ribbed, or the abdomen moves a lot when breathing.
- Difficulty breathing with feedings, vomiting or refusal of food.
- Pale or purplish discoloration around the lips
Treatment for bronchiolitis
There is no medication that has been proven effective in treating bronchiolitis. Fortunately, most cases are relatively mild. However, supportive measures at home are required until the clinical picture is resolved. Some recommendations are:
- Keep nasal passages permeable by nasal lavage or aspiration of secretions.
- Semi-incorporated position
- Feeding distributed in frequent and fractioned feedings
- Watch for the appearance of symptoms or alarm signs. If they appear, it is necessary to consult again with the pediatrician, since between 1 and 3% of bronchiolitis require hospital admission, generally for administration of oxygen therapy.
Prevention of bronchiolitis
Some simple measures can reduce the likelihood of babies becoming infected:
- Anyone who is going to touch the baby (or the baby’s utensils) should wash their hands with soap and water beforehand.
- Use disposable tissues and throw them away immediately after use.
- Avoid exposing infants to tobacco smoke and crowded environments.
- In the case of small siblings, wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water when returning from school or day care.
- Avoid, as much as possible, contact with anyone who has a cold.
- Exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.