The treatment for bronchiolitis can be done at home and is usually aimed at relieving the baby's symptoms, since there are no drugs capable of eliminating the virus responsible for the disease, needing to be eliminated naturally by the body.
Thus, to speed recovery and relieve the symptoms and discomfort caused by bronchiolitis is recommended:
- Stay at home, avoiding going out with the baby or taking it to the grows;
- Offer plenty of water and milk during the day to avoid dehydration and facilitate the elimination of the virus;
- Keep the humidified air by using a humidifier or leaving a bowl of water in the room;
- Avoid places with a lot of smoke or dust, as they aggravate inflammation of the lung;
- Make nebulisations or put nasal drops to eliminate excess mucus and facilitate breathing.
In addition, when breathing is more difficult, such as when breastfeeding, for example, it is advisable to place the baby in a sitting or standing position to facilitate breathing, as opposed to lying down.
This treatment should be continued until symptoms disappear, which may take up to 3 weeks to occur. However, if there is no improvement in symptoms after 3 days it is recommended to consult your pediatrician.
When drug treatment is needed
It is generally not necessary to use medications to treat bronchiolitis because the body is able to eliminate the virus and prevent the disease from worsening. However, when the symptoms are causing a lot of discomfort or the fever is very high, for example, it may be necessary to consult the pediatrician to start using medicines.
Some examples of the most used medicines are Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, as they help reduce the fever and relieve the discomfort. The doses of these medicines should always be directed by a doctor, depending on the weight and age of the baby.
When to go to the doctor
Although the treatment can be done at home, it is advised to go to the hospital when the symptoms do not improve after 3 days or there are signs of worsening of the disease such as:
- Very difficult to breathe;
- Very slow breathing with periods of rest;
- Bluish lips and fingers;
- Sinking of rib muscles;
- Refusal to eat;
- Difficulty sleeping.
These cases are rarer and usually need to be treated in hospital admission to make medicines directly into the vein and receive oxygen.
Signs of improvement or worsening
Signs of improvement in bronchiolitis usually appear about 3 to 7 days after starting treatment and include decreased fever, increased appetite, and reduced breathing difficulty.
Even in cases where the body is not able to eliminate the virus, signs of worsening may appear, such as increased difficulty breathing, bluish skin, especially on the lips, increased irritability, refusal to eat, and lowering of the rib muscles. In this case it is recommended to go to the hospital immediately to start the appropriate treatment.
