What is bronchiolitis?

It is a common infection occuring in infants between 6 months and 2 years.

It is a viral respiratory illness caused by a number of viruses but usually by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?

Onset of the lung symptoms often preceded by fever and a runny nose.

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.

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.

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 2 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.