By: Jillian Lach
The Main Facts
Although bronchiolitis does not have a high mortality rate, it has a very high morbidity rate due to RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), which is the main cause of bronchiolitis. RSV is a respiratory tract infection that causes cold-like symptoms, and it usually doesn’t result in anything more than a cold. However, when it does turn into something more, “[a]pproximately 20% of children develop bronchiolitis during their first year of life,” and it is usually developed from RSV (Øymar, Skjerven, & Mikalsen, 2014). RSV causes about “57,527 hospitalizations among children younger than 5 years old [and] 2.1 million outpatient visits among children younger than 5 years old” (Respiratory Syncytial, 2018). The viruses that cause bronchiolitis, such as RSV, can be spread easily through the air (sneezing and coughing), meaning precautions need to be taken for infants under 6 months old. If not treated right, the development of this virus can cause severe bronchiolitis, and it can be hard for premature infants to fight off.
What is bronchiolitis?
Furthermore, what is bronchiolitis, and why can it turn deadly for infants? Bronchiolitis is an infection of the lungs that is very common in infants and children. It is usually caused by a virus and consists of cold-like symptoms, for it causes difficulty breathing due to inflammation in the airways of the lung (the bronchioles). When a virus infects the lungs, it can cause mucus to build up in the airways, which makes it difficult for air to get to and from the lungs. The symptoms can consist of a runny or stuffy nose, cough, fever, difficulty breathing, or wheezing; quick or labored breathing can be a sign that medical attention is needed. Young children who have a weak immune system or heart and lung diseases have an increased risk of developing bronchiolitis. If a young child develops bronchiolitis, they can experience blue lips due to a lack of oxygen, pauses in breathing, or even respiratory failure, which can all be extremely scary and painful for parents and their child. It is dangerous for infants and children to develop bronchiolitis because their undeveloped immune system makes it difficult to fight off this infection.
Andre’s Story
One specific eye catching story expresses a severe case of bronchiolitis. Andre was hospitalized at six weeks old for RSV and bronchiolitis. After noticin
g some changes in Andre’s breathing, his mom, Alexandria, brought him to the pediatrician. The pediatrician recommended using a humidifier and saline drops, but Andre kept getting worse. After his breathing had worsened drastically, he was brought to the hospital. They diagnosed him with RSV and sent them home with similar instructions that the pediatrician gave. Due to Andre’s worsened breathing, they went to the hospital again after a week. However, they were sent home when the x-ray didn’t show anything serious. Andre was taken to another hospital by Alexandria, where they discovered that his oxygen levels were much lower than they should be. They helped Andre become stable and he was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, rhinovirus, and respiratory failure. With the IV fluids, heart monitor,z and oxygen helping Andre fight everything off, Alexandria was able to take Andre home a few days later. They even had to spend Christmas at the hospital, but the hospital staff helped make it as special as possible!
Recovery and Treatment Options
Although most young infants and children who suffer from bronchiolitis are able to recover in a span of a few days, more serious cases need to be hospitalized. Most young infants will experience symptoms of bronchiolitis, but some parents aren’t aware of the seriousness of the situation until they are bringing their infant into the hospital to be treated.
As far as treatment goes, medications and supportive care can help treat it. To diagnose bronchiolitis, blood tests, chest x-rays, and viral testing are used. In hospitals, the main things used to treat bronchiolitis are humidified oxygen (in case the child is having a difficult time maintaining their breathing) and fluids to help dehydration. In extreme cases, a child may have to be intubated in order to help them breathe. At home supportive care consists of OTC pain relievers, humidified air, and saline nose drops to help relieve some of the pain without being hospitalized. Although bronchiolitis can be treated, it can sometimes cause problems later in life such as asthma and continuous chest infections.
Summary
In most cases, bronchiolitis is not too much of a threat and can be treated with at home supportive care. However, other cases of bronchiolitis can be extremely dangerous and require hospitalization to be treated. In conclusion, more children and infants suffer from RSV and bronchiolitis than you would expect, and the healthcare system suffers because of it. Hospitals that aren’t as equipped can struggle to provide the best care; therefore, it is important to spread awareness and donate to causes that help support kids with bronchiolitis and RSV, for it can make a huge difference for sick children and hospitals that don’t have the money to help treat kids that are suffering.
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