Bronchiolitis
goodtoknow says: Bronchiolitis is a very common infection of the airways that one in three young babies get, normally during winter. Most make a swift recovery. Bronchiolitis is normally caused by the same virus that causes colds. It's a bit worse than a heavy cold with a fever and snuffly breathing as mucus can build up in their airways. Your baby should get better after a few days. Give them lots of fluids and liquid parectamol for the fever. Rarely, your baby may need hospital treatment if they are not feeding properly or breathing is difficult.
For a full medical explanation of the causes, symptoms and treatments of bronchoilitis from patient.co.uk, read on.
Bronchiolitis is an infection of the small airways of the lung (the bronchioles). It is a common condition of babies. Most affected babies are not seriously ill, and make a full recovery. Sometimes it becomes more serious and hospital care may be needed.
Understanding the lungs
Air travels into the lungs via the windpipe (trachea), down larger branching airways (bronchi) and into the smaller airways (bronchioles). The bronchioles are the smallest airways before the air enters the millions of tiny air sacs (alveoli) of the lung. Oxygen from the air passes into the bloodstream through the thin walls of the alveoli.
What is bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis means inflammation of the bronchioles. It is usually caused by a virus called the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Other viruses are sometimes the cause. RSV is a common cause of colds. In some babies RSV can also infect lower down the airways to cause bronchiolitis. RSV is spread in tiny water droplets coughed and sneezed into the air. Infected bronchioles become swollen and full of mucus.
- Next: Who gets bronchiolitis?
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michelle pinnington, about 1 year
i have a 22week old son. and he been in hospital b4 and had bronchioliis. for the last two weeks he not been well. his cough is really bad.w when he coughing he nearly choking. he gets a tempurture but then i strip him off and he cools down abit. he got a runny nose. his chest sounds very quizzy and he is all bunged up aswell. he is taking feeds but not as much as he normally drinks as he is struggling cause he cant breath through his nose. i have had my son the doctors and they say they cant help him cause of what he got. i was just woundering what i should do as day by day he seems to me as if he geting worse.
Report this commentfranck mengoum, about 1 year
i am a parent of a 13 days lovely baby boy and just 5 days aga he started having those a cold and we brought him in hospital and the doctor said our baby have a bronchiolotis so what can really be the cause of it
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sara jayne, about 1 year
i have a little girl whos 5months and shes just been in hospital with bronchoilitis she was in for 3 days. i was worried sick about her she was taken her bottles properly and kept ckoking and her chest was very wheezy.but the staff at aberdeen royal infirmary took care of her they gave her nose suction b4 every feed and within 3 days she was fine.
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