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BronchiolitisDisclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child. Key points to remember
See a doctor urgently if your child:
Dial 111 and ask for urgent medical help if your baby:
 Back to TopWhat is it?
Back to TopWhat causes it?Bronchiolitis is usually caused by a viral infection. Many viruses can cause the illness. The most common is RSV (respiratory syncytial virus).
Back to TopIs it catching (contagious)?Yes, bronchiolitis is very easy to catch - it's very contagious.
It is most common in winter and spring.
See the section below:
Back to TopWhat puts my child at risk of getting it?
Back to TopWhat are the signs and symptoms?Bronchiolitis can start as a cold, with a runny nose. Your baby may have a fever for two to three days and then begin to cough, breathe fast and have noisy breathing (wheeze). The second or third day of the chesty part of the illness is usually the worst.
Bronchiolitis can last for several days. Cough often continues for ten to 14 days but it may last as long as a month. Back to TopWhen should I seek help?You should see your GP (general practitioner) or go to an after-hours medical centre urgently if your baby:
You should also see a doctor, if you are worried about your baby.
Even if you've already seen your doctor, if your baby's breathing difficulties get worse or you are worried, take your baby back for checking.
Dial 111 and ask for urgent medical help if your child:
Back to TopWhat will my doctor do?Your doctor will:
In very young babies, less than two months old, it can be hard to tell the difference between bronchiolitis and pneumonia so your doctor may refer your baby to hospital. Back to TopHow is it diagnosed?Bronchiolitis is usually diagnosed from the description of symptoms that you give the doctor. An examination of your baby is important too.
Back to TopWhat is the treatment?
Most babies with bronchiolitis get better by themselves without any special medical treatment.
You can look after your baby at home if they:
Babies with moderate to severe illness may require supportive treatment in hospital. Bronchiolitis affects your baby’s breathing and sometimes this makes it hard for them to get enough oxygen. Signs of not getting enough oxygen may include any of the following:
If your child has any of these signs, you should seek urgent medical help. (See When should I seek help? above). Babies with low oxygen levels will need to be given extra oxygen in hospital. This is usually given through nasal prongs (small soft plastic tubes) that fit into your child’s nose and carry a flow of oxygen, or by a soft plastic mask that fits over their face.
If your baby is not drinking enough, they may need to be given fluid by an intravenous drip (into a vein) or by nasogastric feeding (feeding through a tube that is passed through the nose or mouth into the stomach).
Back to TopHow can I care for my child at home?
Back to TopHow can I prevent my child getting bronchiolitis?Babies who are breast-fed and those who live in smoke-free environments are less likely to get bronchiolitis.
Back to TopWill my child get asthma?It is difficult to diagnose asthma with certainty until a child is over one year of age. Eight out of every ten babies who start wheezing in the first two years of life do not go on to have asthma (see References below - reference 2).
Back to TopReferences
Back to TopYour notesEndorsement
This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 20/09/2010
CopyrightFact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation. © The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2012
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