Hello. I'm seeking for some informations that could help my child.
His first symptoms were stuffiness, runny nose and mild cough. These are most common signs for common cold so I didn’t take him to see any doctor. I gave him some antibiotic and I thought it will solve all problems.
These symptoms lasted a day or 2 and they were followed by worsening of the cough and the appearance of wheezes.
I became very scarred for my child and I took him to his general practitioner. He did a complete blood count (CBC) and chest radiographs. Diagnosis was bronchiolitis. What should I know about this condition?
I know some facts about this disease because I was diagnosed with it some five years ago and I recovered completely.
Bronchiolitis is an acute, infectious, inflammatory disease of the upper and lower respiratory tract resulting in obstruction of the small airways.
It is believed that one virus causes all this. Virus is called Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
The disease is highly contagious.
Bronchiolitis usually begins with cold symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, and perhaps a mild cough like in your son but symptoms get worse day by day. Often the disease lasts 5 to 12 days.
There are no specific medicines for treating bronchiolitis at home. It is important to give plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Antibiotics aren't useful for treating bronchiolitis because it's caused by a viral infection, and antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections.