Overview
Bronchiolitis is a common chest infection in babies and toddlers in which the smallest airways of the lungs swell and fill with mucus. It usually starts like a cold and then leads to fast, wheezy breathing. Most infants recover at home with fluids and rest, but young babies can tire and struggle to breathe, so warning signs must be watched closely during the illness.
Symptoms
- Runny or blocked nose and mild cough at first
- Fast or noisy, wheezy breathing after a day or two
- Difficulty feeding because of breathlessness
- Mild fever
- Fewer wet nappies than usual
When to see a doctor
See a doctor if a baby feeds poorly, breathes fast, or seems unusually sleepy or irritable.
Emergency — call 108 or go to the nearest hospital
- The skin between the ribs sucking in, long pauses in breathing, blue lips or a baby too breathless to feed — call 108 immediately
Causes
Usually the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other cold viruses, spread easily among small children in the cooler months.