What is bronchitis?
Bronchitis is when the large airway passages that connect the windpipe to the lungs become inflamed. This inflammation is most often caused by a viral infection, like a cold. It can also be caused by bacterial infection, but this is rare.
The viruses that cause bronchitis are very contagious, which means they spread easily from person to person. They spread through coughing, sneezing, breathing, laughing, talking, and also through touching infected surfaces. Children and teenagers with these viruses are usually contagious for 3-8 days, including 1-2 days before they show signs of illness.
What are bronchitis symptoms in children?
Coughing is the main symptom of bronchitis. Your child’s cough might sound dry, or it might produce mucus.
Your child might also have a runny nose, sore throat or fever. And your child might be short of breath and have some wheezing.
If the cough started suddenly and you suspect your baby under one year might be choking, call 000 immediately and start choking first aid for babies. If your child is over one year and coughing doesn’t clear the blockage, call 000 and start choking first aid for children and teens.
When to take children with bronchitis symptoms to a doctor
Take your child to see your GP if your child has:
- a cough that isn’t settling down after 2 weeks
- a wheeze or is short of breath
- blood in their mucus.
You know your child best, so trust your instincts if your child doesn’t seem well. If your child has significant shortness of breath, your child’s skin or lips are pale or blue, or your child is drowsy or hard to wake up, call 000 for an ambulance.
How is bronchitis diagnosed?
Your GP can tell whether your child is likely to have bronchitis by checking your child’s symptoms and examining your child.
The GP might also refer your child for a chest X-ray if the cough doesn’t go away.
How is bronchitis treated?
Viral bronchitis doesn’t need treatment and usually clears up by itself.
If your child has bacterial bronchitis, the doctor might prescribe antibiotics.
If your child’s coughing and wheezing don’t go away, your doctor might advise short-term use of anti-asthma medicine.
Honey might reduce the severity and duration of a bronchitis cough, but you shouldn’t give honey to children under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism.
How long does it take for bronchitis to go away?
Viral bronchitis usually goes away within 1-2 weeks.
If bacterial bronchitis is treated with antibiotics, it usually improves within 48 hours of starting treatment, but the cough might continue for 1-2 weeks.
Children with bronchitis can go to child care or school if they’re generally well, other than having bronchitis.
Can you stop your child from getting bronchitis?
Your child and family can take simple precautions to prevent the spread of the viruses and bacteria that cause bronchitis. This can reduce your chances of getting sick:
- Make sure you regularly wash hands with warm, soapy water.
- Keep your hands away from your face as much as possible.
- Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbows.