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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffFor the first few days, the signs and symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold:
- Runny nose
- Stuffy nose
- Slight fever (not always present)
After this, there may up to one week of:
- Wheezing — breathing seems more difficult or noisy when breathing out
- Rapid or difficult breathing
- Rapid heartbeat
In otherwise healthy infants, the infection generally goes away by itself in one to two weeks. If your child was born prematurely or has underlying health problems, such as a heart or lung condition or a weakened immune system, the infection may be more severe and your child may need to be hospitalized.
Severe bronchiolitis may cause marked difficulty breathing or bluish-looking skin (cyanosis) — a sign of inadequate oxygen. This requires emergency medical care.
When to see a doctor
If your child has more than minor breathing problems, is younger than 12 weeks old or has other risk factors for bronchiolitis — including premature birth or a heart or lung condition — contact your child's doctor.
If your child experiences any of the following signs and symptoms, seek prompt medical attention:
- Vomiting
- Breathing very fast — more than 40 breaths a minute — and shallowly
- Skin turning blue, especially around the lips and fingernails (cyanosis)
- Exhaustion from trying to breathe or the need to sit up in order to breathe
- Lethargy
- Refusal to drink enough fluids, or breathing too fast to eat or drink
- Audible wheezing sounds
- In: Mandell GL, et al. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 76th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- Piedra PA. Bronchiolitis in infants and children: Clinical features and diagnosis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- Watts KD, et al. Wheezing, bronchiolitis, and bronchitis. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 18th ed. Saunders Elsevier; 2007. Accessed Aug. 5, 2010.
- Everard ML. Acute bronchiolitis and croup. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2009;56:119.
- Seiden JA, et al. Bronchiolitis: An evidence-based approach to management. Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine. 2009;10:75.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 8, 2010.
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