What should I do if I have acute bronchiolitis in children? What are the symptoms?

As the weather gets colder, various viruses begin to wreak havoc, including influenza, viral gastroenteritis, etc. Recently, the number of children with acute bronchiolitis has been increasing. So what should we do with acute bronchiolitis in children? What are the symptoms?

What is acute bronchiolitis

Acute bronchiolitis is caused by respiratory syncytial virus infection, which is common in children under two years old. Unlike common bronchitis, this virus mainly invades the bronchioles. Since the diameter of the bronchioles is small, and the infection causes bronchiolar edema and increased mucus and sputum, the bronchioles become blocked, and in severe cases, pneumonia can also occur.

What to do with acute bronchiolitis in children

1. Pay attention to isolation. Try not to contact other sick children to reduce the chance of secondary bacterial infection.

2. Maintain appropriate humidity in the child's room. Use a humidifier when the air is dry.

3. Pay attention to replenishing water. Children should drink more warm water and less beverages.

4. Control infection. If the child has a bacterial infection or is suspected of having a bacterial infection, antibiotics should be used reasonably, mainly orally.

Is acute bronchiolitis contagious?

This virus is mainly transmitted through droplets or hands touching the mouth and nose after the virus comes into contact with the virus. The incubation period is about one week. The initial symptoms are like those of a common cold, with runny nose, sore throat, cough and fever, etc. However, as the disease progresses and causes airway obstruction, severe coughing, rapid breathing, wheezing and even difficulty breathing will begin.

Symptoms of acute bronchiolitis in children

1. Increased breathing rate: A one-year-old child breathes about 30 times per minute when asleep. Parents can count how many times the child breathes in about 15 seconds, and then multiply it by 4 to calculate the number of breaths per minute.

2. Nose flaring: When you breathe, your nostrils get bigger and smaller, which is one of the signs of labored breathing.

3. Changes in respiratory ribs: The outer periphery of the thorax is filled with muscles that assist in breathing. When breathing is labored, these muscles will contract significantly, causing varying degrees of depression.

4. There is a hissing sound when breathing: The respiratory tract is blocked and becomes narrow, and a hissing sound occurs when air passes through these narrow gaps.

The dangers of acute bronchiolitis in children

Infantile asthma attacks may also present symptoms similar to those above. Because the lung tissue of newborns is not yet fully developed and their respiratory muscles are relatively insufficient, once severe wheezing and labored breathing begin to occur, respiratory failure or even death may occur.

The condition will be more serious for younger babies, premature babies, and babies with congenital heart disease or lung disease, so parents must be vigilant and seek medical treatment as soon as possible if their children show symptoms of difficulty breathing.

The disease is mainly transmitted to infants and young children through droplets from adults with mild symptoms. Adults must wash their hands before contacting infants and young children, and please wear a mask if you have any cold symptoms.