Many symptoms of RSV infection resemble the common cold. These include fever, lots of nasal mucous, cough, sore throat and headache. When these symptoms progress to include problems breathing (wheezing, rapid breathing, decreased oxygen saturation and/or apnea), we say the child has bronchiolitis.
RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis (inflammation of the small airways in the lung) and pneumonia (infection of the lungs) in children younger than 1 year of age in the United States. Know the symptoms to look for and how to care for people with RSV.
Bronchiolitis is usually caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is a common virus that infects just about every child by 2 years of age. Outbreaks of RSV infection often happen during the colder months of the year in some locations or the rainy season in others. A person can get it more than once.
Bronchiolitis (bron-key-oh-LIE-tiss) is an infection of the breathing (respiratory) system caused by a virus, usually respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Other viruses that can cause it are the flu, the common cold, human metapneumovirus and adenovirus.
“This differs from bronchitis in that it is an infection that causes inflammation in the bronchioles, which are the smallest airways in the lungs. It also clogs them with mucus. The swelling and mucus can make it harder for a young child to breathe.” In some cases, the symptoms can be severe.
There are no vaccines or specific treatments for bronchiolitis. Antibiotics and cold medicine are not effective in treating bronchiolitis. Most cases go away on their own and can be cared for at home. It is key that your child drinks lots of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Bronchiolitis is a common chest infection that affects babies and children under 2. It's usually mild and can be treated at home, but it can be serious. Bronchiolitis is different from bronchitis, which causes a cough with lots of mucus and can affect people of all ages.
While bronchiolitis is manageable, it can also be life-threatening in rare cases, such as when it causes respiratory failure. There are fewer than 100 children per year who die from bronchiolitis in the U.S. Globally, this number is about 200,000 per year.
Bronchiolitis begins as a mild upper respiratory infection. Within 2 to 3 days, the child develops more breathing problems, including wheezing and a cough. Symptoms include: Bluish skin due to lack of oxygen (cyanosis) - emergency treatment is needed.
How Long Does Bronchiolitis Last? Bronchiolitis usually lasts about 1–2 weeks. Sometimes it can take several weeks for symptoms to go away.
Bronchiolitis treatment
Because bronchiolitis is a virus infection, antibiotics will not help. (Antibiotics are only effective in treating infections caused by bacteria.) Similarly, medicines such as salbutamol (e.g. Ventolin), steroids and antihistamines are not usually effective.
Seek immediate medical attention or go to the nearest emergency department if you or anyone at risk of severe RSV infection has: Difficulty breathing. High fever. Bluish color to the skin, particularly on the lips and in the nail beds.
You should go back to see your GP if your baby has bronchiolitis and: they have a cough that is getting worse. they have less than half their normal feeds or are refusing drinks. they seem very tired or are more sleepy than usual.
Almost all causes of bronchiolitis are viral except rarely mycoplasma which may cause bronchiolitis in children above two years of age and should be treated with antibiotics.
Bronchiolitis can be passed on to others
Avoid contact with other babies in the first few days. Keep your child home from childcare or other places where there may be young children. Older children and adults can catch the virus that causes bronchiolitis, but it is most common in young children and babies.
Bronchiolitis is a serious, potentially life‐threatening respiratory illness commonly affecting babies. It is often caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Antibiotics are not recommended for bronchiolitis unless there is concern about complications such as secondary bacterial pneumonia or respiratory failure.
The illness typically peaks around day 3 to 5 with a resolution of the wheeze and respiratory distress over 7 – 10 days. The cough may continue for up to 4 weeks.
The symptoms are often worse at night. Most children start to improve after 4 days. The infection may be worse and last longer in children under 3 months, premature babies or children with lung or heart problems.
If your child has bronchiolitis, keep them home until the cough is almost gone. Make sure to wash your hands after you take care of your sick child.
Though many of the signs may be similar, pneumonia is much more serious than acute bronchitis. It's more often caused by bacteria than by a virus, which means that antibiotics can be used to treat it. However, bacterial pneumonia can be a fast-moving disease that needs attention right away, says Boushey.
Bronchiolitis is caused by one of several respiratory viruses such as influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza, and human metapneumovirus. Other viruses can also cause bronchiolitis. Infants with RSV infection are more likely to get bronchiolitis with wheezing and difficulty breathing.
Long term effects of having had bronchiolitis
Your baby may have a cough and wheeze for some time after the first infection. Most babies recover well from bronchiolitis and do not have long term breathing problems. However, RSV bronchiolitis may cause recurrent wheezing with each cold your child has.
Babies with bronchiolitis can become very tired when feeding. You should: offer breastfeeds frequently if you're breastfeeding. give smaller feeds more often if you're bottle feeding.
Many symptoms of RSV infection resemble the common cold. These include fever, lots of nasal mucous, cough, sore throat and headache. When these symptoms progress to include problems breathing (wheezing, rapid breathing, decreased oxygen saturation and/or apnea), we say the child has bronchiolitis.