Bronchiolitis

Bronchiolitis is a chest infection caused by a virus that affects bronchioles, the small breathing tubes in the lungs, causing babies and small children to cough, wheeze and have trouble breathing.

It is a common infection in the first year of life, and especially in babies under six months of age.

The disease is usually caused by a viral infection, and many viruses can cause the illness, with the most common being RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). It is infectious and is usually caught from a close contact who has a cold or cough. It can make babies sick for three to seven days, and the cough can last for several weeks.

Some of the symptoms of bronchiolitis are

• difficulty breathing
• a runny nose
• a fever for two to three days
• coughing and wheezing, which may continue from 10 days to one month

If your baby is unwell and coughing, it will be important to see your doctor for a check to see if it is bronchiolitis or if there is something else causing the cough.

Bronchiolitis mostly affects babies in their first year of life, especially babies who are small, premature or under 4 weeks of age. If your baby has bronchiolitis, keep them away from other children to stop the spread of the disease.

Bronchiolitis is very contagious for 3-8 days, so it is important to prevent the spread of the infection. Encourage everyone in your home to carefully wash and dry their hands to help stop the spread of the infection, especially before and after handling the baby.

Babies sharing a household with a smoker are more likely to have bronchiolitis, and it is more likely to be severe. It is also sensible to keep babies away from people with coughs and colds.

Having bronchiolitis as a baby does not directly lead to asthma.

Because bronchiolitis is usually caused by a virus, there is no medicine that will kill the virus it once it starts.

Some babies may have trouble feeding and will need to rest and drink little and often. Warm and dry housing is especially important for childhood bronchiolitis, as houses that are damp and cold lead to more colds and flu, which can aggravate respiratory disease.

Most babies do not require any special medical treatment and will get better by themselves. They can be looked after at home if they are feeding well, do not look sick and are not having problems with breathing.

Most babies can be cared for at home by:

• offering small feeds of breast milk or formula
• keeping your baby warm but not too hot
• giving your baby as much rest as possible
• not smoking or vaping in the house or around your baby
• keeping your baby’s nose clear. If it is blocked or crusty, you can use saline nose drops (which can be bought from a pharmacy), and this will also help with feeding baby
• trying to stay at home if you can, so your baby is not exposed to too many temperature fluctuations

However, some babies need to be admitted to hospital if they have trouble breathing or feeding, or if they are not able to get enough oxygen. If you're concerned, see your doctor and they will:

• talk with you about your baby’s symptoms
• listen to your baby’s breathing
• check that your baby is drinking enough
• possibly ask you to bring your baby back in 24 hours to check that your baby is getting better
• possibly refer your baby to hospital to receive oxygen or fluids

See a health professional or call Healthline (0800 611 116) if you are worried about your baby.

Seek a health professional urgently if your baby:

• is under 3 months old
• is breathing fast, has noisy breathing and is working harder to breathe
• looks unwell
• is taking less than half of their normal feeds
• is vomiting

Call 111 and ask for urgent medical help if your baby:

• is blue around the mouth
• is hard to wake
• is floppy
• is struggling to breathe