Bronchiolitis in children

Bronchiolitis is the commonest lower respiratory tract infection in infants needing hospital admission. It is caused by the virus mainly the respiratory syncytial virus. The infants typically present with initial upper respiratory symptoms such as rhinitis, nasal congestion and low grade fever which is followed by tachypnea recessions grunting apnoea and cyanosis in severe cases. Young age group, prematurity congenital heart diseases are the major risk factors for the severe disease. Diagnosis of bronchiolitis is mainly depended on clinical features. Clinical assessment of a child suspected with bronchiolitis should include clinical features to diagnoses the bronchiolitis and to assess the severity of the bronchiolitis. There is no definitive management for bronchiolitis. None of the drugs tried in the management of bronhiolitis have shown their efficacy in reducing the length of hospital stay, severity of the illness or improvement in the outcome. The main stay of management is supportive like minimum handling, supplementary oxygen, and care on fluid and nutrition and ventilator support whenever needed.