How is bronchiolitis different in infants?

Infants have narrow air passages. Swelling and mucus therefore take up more of the space used for airflow. The illness often begins like a cold, with a runny nose and cough, then breathing may become faster or noisier. You may see the skin pull in between the ribs or under the ribs when the baby breathes. An infant may also pause more often during feeds because sucking and breathing together feel difficult. Most cases improve with supportive care, but very young babies can tire or become dehydrated sooner than older children.

Keep the infant upright while awake and offer smaller feeds more often if usual feeds are tiring. Clear visible mucus from the nose before feeds using a method recommended by your clinician. Keep smoke, vapour, and strong fragrances away from the baby. Check breathing, alertness, and wet nappies regularly rather than relying only on the cough. Do not give cough medicines or other treatments unless a healthcare professional has advised them for this infant.

Seek urgent help if the infant is struggling for each breath, has pauses in breathing, looks blue or grey around the lips, is unusually floppy, or cannot keep feeds down. Arrange prompt medical assessment if breathing is getting faster, the ribs are pulling in, the baby is taking much less fluid, or wet nappies are clearly reduced. A fever in a very young infant also needs prompt clinical advice.

Ask whether the breathing effort and feeding pattern are safe to monitor at home, how to clear the nose, which changes should trigger urgent help, and when the infant should be reviewed again.