How do we treat bronchiolitis?
Fortunately, most cases of bronchiolitis are mild and do not require medical care. Most babies and children with bronchiolitis get better with rest and fluids. Be sure to offer your child fluids in small amounts and more often than usual.
A bulb syringe and saline (saltwater) nose drops can help loosen nasal congestion. This can be especially helpful just before feeding and sleeping. A cool mist vaporizer or humidifier can help loosen mucus and relieve cough and congestion. Breathing treatments with medicines such as albuterol or epinephrine can also be helpful.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can help reduce fever and make your child more comfortable. Be sure to follow appropriate dosing and timing of medication based on your child’s weight. Over-the-counter cough and cold remedies are not recommended or approved for infants and young children.
Antibiotics are not useful because bronchiolitis is caused by a viral infection and antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections.
Babies or children with moderate or severe bronchiolitis may need to be hospitalized, watched closely and given fluids and humidified oxygen. In rare, severe cases, a baby may need a respirator to help them breathe until they start to get better.
Why choose us for bronchiolitis treatment?
At the Breathing Institute at Children’s Hospital Colorado, we provide comprehensive clinical care and consultation for children with common and complex breathing problems. We are experts at treating conditions such as bronchiolitis.
As part of a regional care center, our Breathing Institute provides professional education and advancement of knowledge through research. Our doctors are responsible for discoveries in pulmonary medicine, including the first use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) to treat premature infants with respiratory failure.
We are nationally recognized for our expertise in asthma, cystic fibrosis, airway anomalies and disease, pulmonary hypertension, apnea and sleep-disordered breathing, primary ciliary dyskinesia and children's interstitial lung disease. Children's Colorado has the experience and knowledge to treat a broad spectrum of breathing conditions in children and we offer the latest in diagnostic testing for both infants and older children. Our experienced staff of pediatric specialists includes physicians, nurses, dietitians, social workers and respiratory therapists and we work with you and your family to form an effective treatment plan based on your child’s unique symptoms and medical history.