Causes, symptoms, and treatment of bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis is a disease that affects 20% of children under 2 years of age and may be due to immune damage. Learn more about bronchiolitis in this article.
Today we will look at the causes, symptoms, and treatment of bronchiolitis. Acute bronchiolitis (AB) is a common disease in children, affecting 10% of children worldwide. 1 in 10 children under the age of 2 suffer from bronchiolitis symptoms every year, and 1 to 5% are hospitalized for respiratory infections.
Medical definitions of bronchiolitis are different, but most patients experience shortness of breath and a whistling sound after showing symptoms of a cold.
Causes of bronchiolitis
Bronchiolitis refers to a lung infection in children under 2 years of age.
The US National Library of Medicine defines bronchiolitis as a childhood lung infection. It is characterized by the accumulation of sputum in the capillaries of the lungs caused by viruses.
The Complex Pediatrics reports that bronchiolitis is prevalent in winter and early spring and affects children between the ages of 6 months and 3 years. The following are pathogens that cause bronchiolitis:
1. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
A negative single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the Paramyxo family, causing 56% of bronchiolitis requiring hospitalization. It is worldwide and can affect almost all children under 4 years of age.
About 70% of babies under 1 year of age are infected with a respiratory syncytial virus, which is usually asymptomatic.
2. Rhinovirus
Rhinoviruses of the picornavirus family are common infectious agents that cause colds, and there are more than 110 serological types that infect humans. Although less common than RSV, it equally causes bronchiolitis in children.
3. Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (HPIV3)
The Merck manual site divides parainfluenza viruses into four types. Type 3 causes more bronchiolitis than type 1 or type 2. It closely resembles bronchiolitis caused by RSV, but with less exacerbation.
risk factors
Bronchiolitis mainly affects children who are breastfed or have compromised immune systems. Common risk factors selected by the ‘Kids Health’ site are as follows.
- Babies or children: Children with weaker noses and airways than adults have shorter and narrower dendrites, so blockage is much more severe when swelling develops.
- child born premature
- Children with compromised immune systems or problems with the lungs and cardiovascular systems
- Smoking and exposure to certain toxins, frequent stays in environments with many children
The younger you are, the more likely you are to get bronchiolitis. As mentioned earlier, 70% of babies under 1 year of age are infected with RSV, but only 22% of them have symptoms.
Symptoms of bronchiolitis
The US National Library of Medicine says not all infected children will show the usual symptoms of bronchiolitis.
Symptoms of bronchiolitis include:
- Shortness of breath, whistling, shortness of breath
- Common cold symptoms appear first, such as cough, fatigue and fever.
- When you breathe in, the muscles around the ribs contract (intercostal inspiratory depression). Baby’s nostrils widen to let in more air as they breathe
- rapid breathing (tachypnea)
In bronchiolitis, the preceding symptoms appear and appear 24 to 48 hours later, and the symptoms last for about 12 days. However, 18% of infected children suffer from symptoms for 21 days and 9% for a month.
Complications related to bronchiolitis
If your child is short of breath, go to the hospital immediately.
If a newborn is unable to breathe, his life is at risk. If you have symptoms of bronchiolitis and your baby’s skin is blue (cyanosis), see a doctor right away. Because cyanosis means lack of oxygen.
Shortness of breath, dehydration, and low blood oxygen levels are signs of worsening bronchiolitis. This is a symptom seen in children of prematurity or other diseases.
Treatment of bronchiolitis
The ‘Numofed’ site says there is no cure for bronchiolitis. Because it’s a viral disease, doctors want the baby’s immune system to fight it off naturally, unless the condition is serious.
Antibiotic treatment is pointless, but it can worsen symptoms and make pathogens in the body stronger. However, treatment after hospitalization changes dramatically.
inpatient treatment
If your baby is hospitalized for bronchiolitis, focus on normal breathing for treatment. The oxygen concentration in the body is maintained at 90% or higher by supplying 30-40% oxygen through a nasal cannula or a face mask. Also, if the condition is severe, endotracheal insertion is performed.
To prevent dehydration, the mouth is hydrated. If the condition is very severe, a ringer may be placed.
Recommended home treatment
Home therapy requires patience and dedication. You cannot directly intervene in the fight against the baby and the disease, but you can try to alleviate the symptoms in simple ways.
- Stay hydrated: Stay hydrated to avoid dehydration .
- Frequent non-cleansing: You can buy an upper airway blockage reliever for children and adults at the pharmacy to help ease breathing.
- Sit down when your baby sleeps: Breathing more easily when sitting than lying down
- Keep the humidifier on: It is a good idea to leave the humidifier on even when sleeping in a sick child’s room. Relieves cough and stuffy nose by softening phlegm
Diseases that can be cured naturally
Bronchiolitis is a disease that most children can get, so there is no need to worry too much. It often heals naturally, so be patient and work hard.
If you have any of the symptoms of any of the complications mentioned above, take your child to the emergency room right away. If your child has trouble breathing, it can be life-threatening.
