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SKHealthyKids FROM THE EXPER TS

AT COOK CHILDREN’S

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Antibiotics treat bacterial infections, not
As fall arrives and winter approaches, parents all viruses like bronchiolitis. Giving your child an-
tibiotics when they aren’t needed may cause
over Texas will prepare for more runny noses and diarrhea, and over time can cause bacteria to
become resistant to antibiotics. Breathing
doctor visits. As doctors, we prepare too because treatments are good for asthma, but the
RSV season seems to be here. One of the most wheezing caused by bronchiolitis is different
than the wheezing caused by asthma. Unnec-
common illnesses we see is called bronchiolitis. Lots essary breathing treatments can make chil-
dren feel jittery and can make their heart beat
of viruses can cause bronchiolitis, but one of the too fast. Cough and cold medicines do not
work either, and have dangerous side effects
most well-known is RSV (aka Respiratory Syncytial in children. The American Association of Pe-
diatrics advises that children under 4 do not
Virus). In 2016, almost 3,000 children visited Cook get these medicines.
Children’s Emergency Department for bronchiolitis, Your doctor can listen to your child with a

and countless more saw their local Cook Children’s stethoscope and tell if they have bronchiolitis.
A chest X ray is not needed, and doctors try
pediatricians. Children with bronchiolitis may have a to make sure that we never expose children to
radiation from X rays when it is not needed.
stuffy nose, cough, wheezing, fever, or fast and hard There are some tests that can tell if your child
has a virus like RSV. These tests involve put-
breathing. So what exactly is bronchiolitis, you ask? ting a swab in your child’s nose. Unfortu-
nately, proving a child has a virus does not
............................................................................................................................... help us treat them better or change the way
we manage their illness. For this reason, doc-
B these young children become swollen and fill with mucus. The viruses that cause make a difference.
tors will probably choose not to put your child
ronchiolitis is an infection of the small airway tubes in the lungs caused by a
through this uncomfortable test when it won’t
virus. It mostly affects children under 2-years-old. The small airway tubes in
bronchiolitis live on surfaces. Your child may touch a surface contaminated with
The best way to treat bronchiolitis is to sup-
the virus at daycare, at the park, or even at the grocery store. The best way to
port your child and let their immune system do
prevent the spread of the virus is to wash your hands. We also know that children
the work. This means making sure they have
around cigarette smoke may become sicker from the virus because their airways
plenty of fluids and sleep. You also can help
are already irritated, so it is best to not smoke around your child.
them clear out the mucus by using a cool mist
Bronchiolitis is a frustrating illness for parents and doctors too. Children with bronchiolitis don’t humidifier and loosening up the mucus with
sleep well due to stuffy nose and cough causing frequent nighttime wake ups. Your child’s snot saline drops in the nose. Do not use water.
can feel like a constant faucet. Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do as parents or doctors
to make it better. The virus has been around for many years, which has given doctors lots of Children under 2 have a hard time blowing
time to try out different medicines to try to make it better. In the past, doctors have tried breathing their nose. You can help suck out the mucus
treatments like albuterol, steroid medicine, cough and cold medicine, and even sometimes an- in a couple of ways. One is the bulb suction
tibiotics. We now know that these things don’t help and can make things worse. that you likely received when your child was

BRONCHIOLITIS & RSV

THE BEST AND SAFEST WAY TO CARE FOR YOUR CHILD

92 FEBRUARY 2019 | SocietyLifeMag.com