Bronchitis is a common disease in children, regardless of age and weather. Knowing some of the causes and prevention will reduce the disease, help children with bronchitis heal quickly and prevent complications in the future.
What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis in children is a disease when a child's lower airway or bronchus becomes inflamed and painful, but the lung parenchyma is not affected. However, if not treated in time, causing children to suffer from bronchitis for a long time, leading to a lot of cough, in the long run it is easy for children to get pneumonia.
The disease also often appears with, or after, the child has some infections such as flu, whooping cough, measles ...
How many types of bronchitis?
Bronchitis in children can be divided into two main categories:
Children with bronchitis:
Children with bronchiolitis, also known as spasmodic bronchitis or acute bronchitis
Infants have less bronchitis, older babies often develop bronchiolitis. Bronchiolitis in children occurs when the airways in a baby's lungs fill with phlegm and become swollen. In this case, the cause is usually respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Signs of bronchitis
After exposure to a pathogen of bronchitis in children, it usually takes 24 to 72 hours for a baby to have the first symptoms of the disease. These are signs like:
Cough, loss of voice, or hoarseness
Difficulty breathing, hissing in the larynx, wheezing
Fever
Runny or stuffy nose
Red eyes
Swollen lymph nodes
These symptoms can be mild or severe. However, the night tends to get worse, lasting about 1-2 days.
Causes of bronchitis
Bronchitis is usually caused by a virus , most commonly the influenza virus.
Babies can become infected with air viruses, toys and other surfaces including: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza virus (which causes inflammation of the upper and lower respiratory tract), measles, adeno virus (causes bronchospasm, lung leading to lung necrosis) and flu.
Bacterial infections, allergies and the inhalation of tobacco smoke, dust ... can also cause illness.
Children shower in the wrong way such as long baths, cold showers, bathrooms not airtight.
Children often lie in air conditioner, air conditioner.
A family of young children with a history of asthma.
Children aged 18 - 24 months were among the group at highest risk.
When to bring a child with bronchitis to the hospital right away?
Take your baby to the hospital right away if he has any of the following signs:
The coughs get worse
Fever higher than 39 ° C
Cyanosis, difficulty breathing
Breathe faster than usual
Hemoptisi
Drooling or showing difficulty swallowing
Babies quit breastfeeding
Show anxiety, agitation
Children are too tired, sleep well
Your nose, mouth, or nails turn gray or blue
Signs of dehydration (dry lips, tongue), no urination for many hours.
How to treat bronchitis for children
Children with bronchitis can resolve on their own if they are treated early and correctly. Therefore, when seeing a child with the first symptoms of the disease, parents need:
Keep the child's body warm. Give your child plenty of fluids, especially warm water.
If the child has a fever below 38, 5 degrees, apply warm compresses to the child to cool down quickly. If the fever is at least 38.5 ° C, give the child antipyretic medication as directed by the doctor.
The disease is mainly caused by viruses, so antibiotics are often ineffective. Parents should only give their children antibiotics when prescribed by the physician (the right dose and the right medicine).
How should children with bronchitis foster?
Do not abstain when taking care of children
Taking care of a child with bronchitis requires special attention to diet. Parents should not abstain from abstinence, but should pay attention to supplementing water, food and appropriate nutrients for the child to recover quickly.
Foods that are easy to digest like rice, flour, cereals, soy milk, cow's milk, tofu, eggs.
Drink milk and eat low-fat dairy products. Especially yogurt will be very good for the digestive system.
Increase the supplement of green vegetables and fresh fruits to provide vitamins A, C, E, which work to reduce inflammation in the bronchi, lungs, and children who are having difficulty breathing. Some vegetables and fruits are rich in antioxidants, which are very good for children with bronchitis, which are recommended by doctors such as celery, broccoli, carrots, spinach ...
Sick children need to drink plenty of fluids
Children need to drink plenty of water (filtered water, fresh fruit juice ...) for the body to eliminate toxins from the body, reduce inflammation, dry throat, high fever in children. At the same time, replenish the amount of water lost when the child is sick.
Children should eat many meals, each meal a little food.
Food should be processed in a soft, liquid form such as porridge, soup, powder, and nutritious soup for the child to easily digest and swallow.
Through the above information, hope you have a clearer view of bronchitis in children, then have an effective way to protect your baby's health.
See more:
Bronchiolitis - Parents pay great attention when the season is changed
Pregnant mothers with bronchial asthma - Will the fetus be affected?
Things to know about pneumonia in children