Bronchiolitis starts out with symptoms much like a common cold. But then it gets worse, causing coughing and a high-pitched whistling sound when breathing out called wheezing. Sometimes children have trouble breathing.
Symptoms of Bronchiolitis
Wheezing is a high-pitched purring or whistling sound. You can hear it best when your child is breathing out. Rapid breathing at a rate of over 40 breaths per minute. Tight breathing (having to work hard to push air out).
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to a cold, such as sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, a cough and a slightly high temperature of 38C. A child with bronchiolitis may then get other symptoms, such as: breathing more quickly. finding it difficult to feed or eat.
Signs and symptoms of bronchiolitis
The illness begins as a cold, and the first symptoms your baby may have include a mild cough, and a runny or blocked nose. After one or two days, your baby's cough may get worse, and they will begin to have some breathing problems. Their symptoms may include: fast breathing.
RSV in Infants & Toddlers
Children with RSV typically have two to four days of upper respiratory tract symptoms, such as fever and runny nose/congestion. These are then followed by lower respiratory tract symptoms, like increasing wheezing cough that sounds wet and forceful with increased work breathing.
In adults and older children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like signs and symptoms. These may include: Congested or runny nose. Dry cough.
Both affect the airways in the lungs, but bronchitis affects the larger airways (the bronchi). Bronchiolitis affects the smaller airways (bronchioles). Bronchitis usually affects older children and adults, while bronchiolitis is more common in younger children.
In children, the most common cause of acute bronchitis is a virus. The illness may develop after a cold or other viral infection in the nose, mouth, or throat (upper respiratory tract). Such illnesses can spread easily from direct contact with a person who is sick.
Kids with bronchiolitis need time to recover and plenty of fluids. Make sure your child gets enough to drink by offering fluids in small amounts often. You can use a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier in your child's room to help loosen mucus in the airway and relieve cough and congestion.
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi, the airways in the lungs and is typically caused by a virus, but it can also be caused by bacteria or a fungus. It is a common infection in children and should be treated by a certified Pediatrician. If left untreated, bronchitis can lead to pneumonia in some cases.
When doctors suspect bronchitis, they will do an exam and listen to a child's chest with a stethoscope to check for wheezing and congestion. No tests are needed to diagnose bronchitis. But the doctor may order a chest X-ray to rule out a condition like pneumonia.
If your child has had a cough that's lasted longer than 3 weeks, see a GP. If your child's temperature is very high, or they feel hot and shivery, they may have a chest infection.
The main symptom of bronchitis is a hacking cough. It is likely that your cough will bring up thick yellow-grey mucus (phlegm), although this does not always happen. Other symptoms of bronchitis are similar to those of other infections, such as the common cold or sinusitis, and may include: sore throat.
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.
Bronchitis is usually diagnosed solely on the history and physical examination of the child. Many tests may be ordered to rule out other diseases, such as pneumonia or asthma. In addition, the following tests may be ordered to help confirm diagnosis: Chest X-ray.
Although bronchiolitis is usually a mild condition, it can sometimes cause more serious symptoms. If your child has a very severe cough, a high fever, and breathing difficulty, or the symptoms have lasted longer than a few weeks, you should seek medical advice.
When your pediatrician listens to your baby's lungs, if they have RSV and bronchiolitis, it actually sounds like Rice Krispies in the lungs; it's just all crackly. Quite often, pediatricians are able to get a good idea if your child has RSV or not just based on the symptoms.
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.
Doctors will usually start with a basic physical exam when determining if a child has bronchiolitis. Additional tests may be necessary if symptoms are severe. A chest X-ray may be needed to look for signs of pneumonia. A blood test may be needed to check white blood cell count for signs of infection.
Infants with mild bronchiolitis characteristically have cough, wheezing, nasal discharge, and chest recession with wheeze and crackles audible on chest auscultation.
Pediatricians diagnose children with a cold or bronchiolitis by asking about their symptoms and by doing a physical exam. Your pediatrician may do a nasal swab test to determine if your child has RSV or another virus. A chest x-ray and/or oxygen saturation test may also be done to check for lung congestion.
Most babies/children with bronchiolitis get better within about two weeks. Your baby/child can go back to nursery or day care as soon as he or she is well enough (that is feeding normally and with no difficulty in breathing). There is usually no need to see your doctor if your baby/child is recovering well.