Bronchitis Symptoms in Children

Inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes is known as bronchitis. These tubes are the air carrier tubes and carry air to and from lungs. A person can suffer either from acute or chronic kind of bronchitis. Out of these, acute bronchitis is not as serious. It is often caused either due to cold or a respiratory infection. On the other hand, chronic bronchitis is caused due to constant irritation of the bronchial tubes. It is more common among people who smoke. Often, the bronchitis symptoms in children are looked upon as chest cold or pneumonia, because the symptoms are similar. Let's see what symptoms of this condition are along with its causes and treatment.

Causes of Bronchitis in Children

The most common cause of bronchitis is common cold and flu. Viral bronchitis is caused by influenza A and B viruses. Like viruses, bacteria can also cause bronchitis. Bacterial bronchitis is caused by bacteria called 'Mycoplasma pneumoniae'. It is also commonly known as walking pneumonia. It can also be caused due to inhaling dust particles or fumes which irritate the bronchial tubes. People who are often exposed to chemical solvents or smoke regularly can also suffer from bronchitis due to the fumes and smoke. Children can suffer from bronchitis due to certain medical problems like asthma, allergies to certain particles, sinus infections or even due to frequent tonsil infections. It is commonly seen, that premature babies are more susceptible to bronchitis.

Symptoms of Bronchitis in Children

Frequent cough is one of the acute symptom. Normally, the child will suffer from dry cough initially. However, after a few days, the cough will bring up mucus from the lungs. Often, it is seen that the cough worsens at night, which may make it difficult for the child to sleep. Constant coughing can also cause the child to vomit. Chest pain while coughing is also a bronchitis symptom. You may notice, that the child may have a high pitched noise similar to wheezing, more so after he has had a bout of cough. In some cases, the child may also run out of breath for a short period of time. Normally, acute bronchitis in toddlers does not last longer than 7 to 8 days. However, the cough caused due to bronchitis can last for a few weeks.

There are other symptoms of bronchitis as well. You will notice, that the child will feel tired and have body aches. Often children also suffer from fever, chills or even sore throat, when they suffer from bronchitis. The child may either have a runny or a stuffy nose. In infant bronchitis, the child will have a tendency to be cranky and may cry more often. The appetite of the child may be affected and the child will prefer to be in bed more often.

The signs of chronic bronchitis include excessive mucus, cough which gets worse in the morning and in damp weather. Frequent respiratory infection is also one of the chronic symptoms of bronchitis. In adults is constant cough points to chronic bronchitis.

Bronchitis Treatment for Children

We have seen the bronchitis symptoms and treatment is the next thing we should know. For bronchitis treatment, the first step is to use a humidifier or vaporizer and make it easier for the child to breathe. However, it is important to clean the humidifier regularly so that there is no germ accumulation that can cause further infection.

Among natural remedies for bronchitis is to ensure that the child consumes a lot of liquids. When the child is well hydrated, the air passages remain moist and are in a better position to get rid of germs and other irritants, which are responsible for aggravating the condition. One of the bronchitis natural remedies is to give the child some steam. For a toddler, you can make use of bathroom shower steam. It will help in freeing the air passages. Honey is a home remedy for bronchitis. A single dose of honey can be given to the child in the evening. However, this remedy cannot be used for children below the age of 1. To a cup of warm milk, add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric and give it to the child as a part of bronchitis natural treatment. As a part of bronchitis remedies, you can also make use of herbs for bronchitis. However, for treatment for chronic bronchitis it is better to have you child diagnosed by a pediatrician. Looking at the condition of the child, the pediatrician will be in a better position to treat the child.

If the symptoms of bronchitis last for very long in children, it is better to seek medical opinion. Since bronchitis in children is in some cases infectious, it is better to keep the child with bronchitis symptoms away from other kids at home to avoid the infection from spreading.