Bronchiolitis is an infection that affects the tiny airways called bronchioles. This is a common problem of respiratory system. In this condition, the airways are inflamed and hence, they swell and are filled with mucus. This makes breathing difficult. Typically, this occurs during the winter and fall months.
Bronchiolitis often affects young children and infants as their bronchioles are blocked easily than adults or kids. This mostly affects kids in the first 2 years. This mostly affects children who are not breastfed, males and people who live in crowded conditions.
Symptoms of Bronchiolitis:
Signs and symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to common cold for the first 2 – 3 days. Following are some symptoms of bronchiolitis:
- Slight fever
- Stuffy nose
- Runny nose
The following are the symptoms that may be observed after first 2 – 3 days:
- Difficult or rapid breathing
- Wheezing: Breathing becomes difficult and noisy while breathing out.
- Rapid heartbeat
In healthy infants, bronchiolitis disappears by itself in a week to ten days. Children with underlying health conditions, like lung or heart problems, weak immune system or premature birth, are more affected with bronchiolitis and need to be hospitalized.
If you observe the following signs and symptoms in your child, consult the doctor immediately.
- Rapid breathing: More than 40 breaths in a minute or shallowly.
- Vomiting
- Refusing to drink fluids or breathing very fast to drink or eat.
- Lethargy
- Skin turns bluish, particularly around finger nails or lips
Diagnosis for Bronchiolitis:
Following are some diagnostic tests recommended for bronchiolitis:
- Mucus Sample Test: Suction catheter or nasal pharyngeal swab is used for collecting the mucus samples. This helps to detect the cause of bronchiolitis.
- Chest X-Ray: In uncertain cases, doctor requests for chest X-ray to check the symptoms of pneumonia. He also checks for presence of foreign substance, like small plastic piece or foreign object which the infant might have inhaled.
- Blood Tests: Blood tests are performed for checking the count of white blood cells. Increase in white blood cells count is an indication of an infection in the body. Another blood test is performed for checking the oxygen levels in blood.
