Bronchiolitis in neonates

Bronchiolitis is inflammation of the smallest breathing tubes, usually after a respiratory virus. A neonate may have a blocked or runny nose, cough, wheezing, faster breathing, pauses, or trouble coordinating feeding with breathing. Newborns may not show a strong fever even when unwell. [Bronchiolitis](/conditions/bronchiolitis/) explains the condition in more detail.

Because newborn airways and feeding reserves are still developing, a small change can matter. Prematurity or heart, lung, and immune conditions adds to the need for clinician review.

Keep the neonate away from smoke, vaping, and anyone with respiratory symptoms. Wash hands before feeds and handling. Keep the baby comfortably upright while awake and supervised, and offer feeds only if breathing is settled enough to swallow safely. Never give cough medicine, honey, antibiotics, or another baby’s medicine without medical direction.

Note the time of symptoms, feeding amounts, wet nappies, breathing pauses, and any colour change. This information helps the clinician judge urgency.

Seek emergency help for pauses in breathing, blue or grey lips, severe chest pulling, grunting, collapse, or difficulty waking. Obtain urgent medical advice for poor feeding, repeated vomiting, fewer wet nappies, a temperature concern, new wheezing, or breathing that is faster or harder than usual. Do not wait for a cough to become severe.

Ask whether the neonate needs immediate examination, how to support safe feeding, which signs require emergency help, and how often breathing should be checked. Tell the clinician the baby’s exact age, birth history, feeding pattern, wet nappies, and any pauses or colour change.