Bronchiolitis is a disease that is as impressive as it is benign. This viral pathology, extremely contagious, affects 500.000 babies under two years old every year. It is a disease of the bronchioles, or very small bronchi, which is caused by the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Faced with the rather impressive symptoms of bronchiolitis, here are some good reflexes to adopt.

Know how to observe the signs of bronchiolitis

Just because your child is coughing hard does not mean you should immediately consider bronchiolitis. In infants, the slightest cold can give rise to an impressive cough. You can recognize bronchiolitis by different signs that you can learn to look for.

Look at your child’s nose first. If the nostrils open excessively with each breath, this is a first sign. Then look at his ribs: if you observe an intercostal “pulling”, in other words if a hollow appears between the ribs or at the level of the abdomen, this is again a sign of bronchiolitis. Finally, this disease is accompanied by characteristic wheezing, which can make you feel like your baby is unable to breathe.

Don’t panic at the impressive symptoms

The signs of bronchiolitis are so overwhelming that many parents have the reflex to rush to the emergency room. However, if your child is not in a risk category (less than three months old, former premature babies, children with a chronic disease or immunocompromised), an appointment with your pediatrician will suffice. Until then, take some physiological saline pods, they will be your only real weapons until the disease disappears..

Consult a pediatrician who will give you a protocol

Depending on your baby’s condition, your pediatrician may follow different protocols. In the event of a small bronchiolitis, there will often be nothing more to do than wait. and blow your baby’s nose as often as possible thanks to physiological serum and a well-developed technique. Do not hesitate to ask your doctor to show you the right actions.

Drug treatment may also be prescribed to your infant while, in rarer cases (since this method is increasingly criticized today), your pediatrician may prescribe respiratory physiotherapy sessions. These sessions are intended to help your child to free his bronchi. They are impressive for uninformed parents, but they have the merit of providing occasional relief to your baby.

Split meals, to help your baby eat

Feeding your child will no doubt be an uphill battle during these few days of bronchiolitis. If he only drinks a third of his bottles or refuses a spoon from his plate, don’t worry, nothing less normal. He is short of breath and it takes a lot of effort to eat. To help her, try dividing her meals or giving her smaller doses of milk. His appetite will quickly return to normal when this bronchiolitis is just a bad memory.

Provide it with a healthy environment

Contrary to what many parents might do in such a situation, overheating the nursery is not a good idea. The ideal temperature is 19 °, so be sure to keep any heat source away.

Also ventilate his room well and, of course, prevent him from contact with cigarette smoke but also pollution, indoor aerosols, etc. Your child should breathe the most natural air possible.

Don’t fight a cough

Getting your child to cough is the secret to healing. Only then will he be able to eliminate all the mucus that has settled in his lungs.. Often, after a respiratory physiotherapy session, babies cough for long minutes. This is the sign of a good evacuation.

So above all, do not have the very bad reflex of giving your child a cough suppressant and be careful not to give him a bath that is too hot, in an environment saturated with water vapor. Its air must be dry and healthy for good healing.

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