What is Bronchiolitis?
Bronchiolitis is a respiratory infection that affects younger children especially younger than 2 years. It predominates in the fall / winter months. The germs that habitually produce bronchiolitis are viruses.
Prevention: Although there are no vaccines, there are measures that can reduce infection and prevent bronchiolitis:
- Avoid contact with persons with colds.
- Handwashing.
- Breastfeed the child.
- Avoid cigarette smoke, braziers and saumerios.
- Receive all shots as directed by your doctor.
- Avoid overcrowding. Ventilate the environment where the child is.
What are the symptoms of bronchiolitis?
- Nasal mucus or nasal congestion, cough and eventually fever during the previous 3 days.
- During bronchiolitis, there may be rapid breathing, sagging of the skin between the ribs, wheezing and wheezing that last up to 5 days.
What to do when we suspect bronchiolitis?
You should consult your doctor. Depending on the severity, the child will be monitored at home or in the hospital.
Severity criteria indicating admission
- Pauses when breathing (apneas) with bluish color of the skin.
- Lack of response to treatments given by the doctor.
- Difficulty marked for feeding or sleeping.
Which is the treatment?
- Offer plenty of liquid by mouth.
- Try to keep feeding especially breastfeeding. If you breathe very fast offer food in small amounts.
- In case of fever use the antipyretic recommended by the doctor.
- Clean the mucus of the nose. Keep the child in a semi-seated position.
- According to the doctor’s advice, you can use salbutamol. Remember that it is a safe medication for the child. Administration is by aerosol and air-chamber. The recommended dose is 2 puffs every 4 or 6 hours depending on the evolution and / or medical indication
- The use of antibiotics, cough syrups, decongestants or home remedies is not recommended.
How to administer inhaled medication?
1- Shake the aerosol and place it inside the back base of the air-chamber.
2- Place the mask on the mouth and nose
3- Press the spray.
4- Inspire and exhale through the mouth and nose counting to ten (or count 30 seconds).
Clean the air-chamber every 3-4 weeks with warm water and detergent and allow to dry at room temperature.
How is the follow up?
Children treated at home should be monitored daily for the first 48 hours and then periodically according to the evolution to final discharge. Parents or caregivers of the child should be alert to the appearance of alarm signs during follow-up such as difficulty feeding or sleep, difficulty breathing or fever and consult a doctor promptly.
