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Bronchiolitis is a common chest infection that affects babies and children under 2. It's usually mild and can be treated at home, but it can be serious.
Bronchiolitis is different from bronchitis, which causes a cough with lots of mucus and can affect people of all ages.
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to a cold, such as sneezing, a runny or blocked nose, a cough and a slightly high temperature of 38C.
A child with bronchiolitis may then get other symptoms, such as:
Symptoms are usually worst between days 3 and 5, and the cough usually gets better in 3 weeks.
As a parent, you may know if your child seems seriously unwell and should trust your own judgement.
There's no specific treatment for bronchiolitis. It usually gets better on its own and you can look after your child at home.
But it can be serious in some children, who may need to be treated in hospital.
give children's paracetamol to babies and children over 2 months old or ibuprofen to babies and children over 3 months old – but do not give aspirin to a child under 16
try using salt water (saline) drops if your child's nose is blocked
keep your child upright as much as possible when they're awake – this will help them breathe more easily
encourage your child to drink lots of fluids – try smaller feeds more often in babies, and give older children extra water or diluted fruit juice
do not smoke around your child
do not try to lower your child's temperature by sponging them with cool water or taking off all their clothes
There are some things you can do to lower the chances of your child getting bronchiolitis or spreading the viruses that cause it, such as:
It's also important not to smoke around your child. Children who breathe in cigarette smoke have a higher risk of getting bronchiolitis.
Some children may have a higher risk of getting seriously ill with bronchiolitis.
This includes children who:
These children may be able to have treatment in the winter (between October and March) to stop them getting severe bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis is caused by a viral infection, usually the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is very common and spreads easily in coughs and sneezes. Almost all children have had it by the time they're 2.
In older children and adults, RSV may cause a cough or cold, but in young children it can cause bronchiolitis.
