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Bronchiolitis is different from bronchitis, which causes a cough with lots of mucus and can affect people of all ages.
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to a cold, such as sneezing, a runny or blocked nose and a slightly high temperature.
A child with bronchiolitis may then get other symptoms, such as:
Symptoms are usually worst between days 3 and 5, and the cough usually gets better in 3 weeks.
As a parent, you may know if your child seems seriously unwell and should trust your own judgement.
There's no specific treatment for bronchiolitis. It usually gets better on its own and you can look after your child at home.
But it can be serious in some children, who may need to be treated in hospital.
give children's paracetamol to babies and children over 2 months old or ibuprofen to babies and children over 3 months old if they're distressed or uncomfortable – do not give these medicines at the same time
keep your child upright as much as possible when they're awake – this will help them breathe more easily
check on your child regularly, including during the night
encourage your child to drink lots of fluids – try smaller feeds more often in babies, and give older children extra water or diluted fruit juice
do not smoke around your child
do not try to lower your child's temperature by sponging them with cool water or taking off all their clothes
do not give aspirin to a child under 16
There are some things you can do to lower the chances of your child getting bronchiolitis or spreading the viruses that cause it, such as:
It's also important not to smoke around your child. Children who breathe in cigarette smoke have a higher risk of getting severe bronchiolitis.
The RSV vaccine helps reduce the risk of a common infection called respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causing problems such as bronchiolitis.
The vaccine is available on the NHS from 28 weeks of pregnancy. This will help protect your baby and reduce the risk of severe RSV for the first 6 months after they're born.
It's also offered to adults aged 75 to 79.
Some children may have a higher risk of getting seriously ill with bronchiolitis.
This includes children who:
These children may be given an injection of infection-fighting antibodies each winter. This helps reduce the risk of RSV causing severe bronchiolitis.
Bronchiolitis is caused by a viral infection, usually respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
RSV is very common and spreads easily in coughs and sneezes. Almost all children get it at least once before they're 2 years old.
It's not usually serious, but some babies and children have a higher risk of getting seriously ill, particularly:
