Symptoms of bronchitis in children

Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Pediatric bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogens. Clinical presentations commonly begin with symptoms of upper respiratory infection such as nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose, or low-grade fever, followed by coughing as the main symptom. Initially, the cough is dry, later accompanied by phlegm. Symptoms can be more severe in infants and young children, often including fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, generally without systemic symptoms. Auscultation of the lungs reveals coarse breath sounds, with fixed and scattered dry rales, and medium to coarse moist rales. Infants and young children often have difficulty expelling phlegm, which may be audible in the throat and lungs as a rattling sound. If the infant or young child has wheezing bronchitis accompanied by eczema, or other allergic histories, they may develop pronounced symptoms of difficulty breathing, and may even progress to asthma.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Does bronchitis cause a fever?

Bronchitis, a condition that can cause symptoms of fever if it is acute inflammation. During the acute phase of inflammation, the pathogens in the body stimulate the body's temperature regulation center, leading to chills and fever. Clinically, there may also be an acute facial expression, accompanied by complications such as difficulty breathing and cyanosis of the lips. If it is chronic bronchitis, fever symptoms generally do not occur, with the main symptoms being cough, sputum production, and difficulty breathing. Diagnosis requires combination with laboratory test results, and treatment measures and plans should be taken according to the cause of the disease.

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Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
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How to completely cure bronchitis?

Bronchitis is an infection of the bronchial mucosa caused by various pathogens, often secondary to upper respiratory tract infections or as a manifestation of acute infectious diseases. It is a common respiratory disease in childhood, typically caused by viruses or bacteria, or a combination of both. The treatment mainly involves symptomatic management, and when necessary, anti-inflammatory treatment can be administered. For viral infections, symptomatic treatment is usually sufficient, generally involving the use of expectorants, or if there is severe wheezing, nebulized asthma medications may be needed. For those with allergic constitutions, appropriate use of anti-allergy medications can be considered. Treatment can also integrate unique approaches from traditional Chinese medicine. If there are clear signs of bacterial infection, antibiotic treatment is necessary, and the use of antibiotics is recommended to be carried out in hospitals, with doctors prescribing appropriate antibiotics for children based on their specific conditions.

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Written by Han Shun Li
Pulmonology
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What are the symptoms of bronchitis?

Bronchitis is a common clinical disease, which can generally be divided into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis in clinical practice. Acute bronchitis often has a sudden onset, with symptoms such as coughing and expectoration; some people may also experience fever, chest tightness, and wheezing. Typically, the course of the disease lasts two to three weeks. Chronic bronchitis, on the other hand, has a longer duration, with a more gradual onset and symptoms of recurrent coughing and expectoration, and even chest tightness. The annual duration of the disease is more than three months, with a typical onset lasting over two years, making it very long and difficult to control.

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Written by Hu Bai Yu
Pulmonology
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How to treat bronchitis in children?

For pediatric bronchitis, it is primarily important to determine the cause of the infection in the child and to treat the disease based on its cause. Choose corresponding sensitive antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs for treatment. If coughing and expectoration are severe, it may be necessary to use some antitussive and expectorant drugs. Moreover, if the child shows signs of wheezing or obvious suffocation, nebulized inhalation can be used for treatment to relieve symptoms. It is generally advisable to be cautious; if the baby shows signs of breathing difficulty, it is best to take the baby to the hospital for a chest X-ray. Typically, this will only reveal a coarse lung texture, but if the pathogen causing bronchitis in children is complex, then combined medication may be required for treatment.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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How is bronchitis treated?

In clinical settings, bronchitis is treated in two main ways. The first approach includes general and symptomatic treatment. The second and most crucial approach is the use of sensitive antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens and provide anti-inflammatory treatment. Increased water intake and the use of antipyretic analgesic drugs for fever symptoms are recommended. It is necessary to identify whether the infection is bacterial, viral, or mycoplasmal, and to use sensitive antimicrobial drugs to kill the pathogens. Once the inflammation subsides, the symptoms caused by bronchitis will gradually diminish and fade away.