What to know about bronchiolitis in infants

Bronchiolitis is inflammation and mucus in the smallest airways. It often begins like a cold, then breathing may become faster or wheezy as the airways narrow. An infant may feed more slowly because breathing and sucking together become tiring. Symptoms can change over several days, and a young baby may show illness through reduced feeding or unusual sleepiness rather than describing discomfort.

Offer smaller feeds more often and keep the infant upright while awake and supervised. Clear the nose gently with saline drops if congestion interferes with feeding. Keep smoke, strong fragrances and sick contacts away. Check regularly for wet nappies, alertness and changes in breathing. Do not give cough medicines or other medicines unless a clinician has advised the specific product and dose.

Seek emergency help if the infant has pauses in breathing, blue or grey lips, severe chest pulling-in, grunting, or is difficult to wake. Arrange urgent medical assessment for clearly reduced feeding, very few wet nappies, persistent fast breathing, or worsening effort. Babies who are very young or who have heart, lung or immune conditions may need earlier assessment.

Ask how to measure breathing effort, what feeding amount and wet-nappy pattern should prompt a call, whether the infant needs monitoring, and which medicines should be avoided.