The difference between bronchitis and tracheitis in children

Written by Liu Li

Pediatrics

Updated on June 21, 2025

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Both bronchitis and tracheitis are common diseases in children. The symptoms of these two diseases are quite similar, but there are also certain differences. Tracheitis can cause fever in children, while bronchitis can lead to more severe coughing and expectoration. The triggering factors for these diseases are also different; bronchitis is generally caused by viral infections, whereas tracheitis is more often caused by bacterial infections.

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Written by Liu Li

Pediatrics

29sec

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The difference between bronchitis and tracheitis in children

Both bronchitis and tracheitis are common diseases in children. The symptoms of these two diseases are quite similar, but there are also certain differences. Tracheitis can cause fever in children, while bronchitis can lead to more severe coughing and expectoration. The triggering factors for these diseases are also different; bronchitis is generally caused by viral infections, whereas tracheitis is more often caused by bacterial infections.

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Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

39sec

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Do bronchitis cough?

Bronchitis, a disease commonly seen in clinical settings, often causes symptoms of coughing, and some cases may present with paroxysmal spasmodic coughs. Some patients may also experience increased phlegm, leading to symptoms like spitting phlegm, difficulty breathing, sore throat, and chest pain as complications. Generally, a physical examination is needed, along with a chest X-ray, complete blood count, C-reactive protein, and other auxiliary tests for diagnosis. It is timely to choose the appropriate antimicrobial medication and cough suppressant and expectorant drugs for symptomatic treatment.

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Written by Li Jian Wu

Pulmonology

49sec

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Symptoms of bronchitis in children

Bronchitis tends to manifest suddenly and with typical symptoms in children compared to adults. In cases of acute bronchitis, it can lead to fever, chills, and fatigue. Typical respiratory symptoms include coughing, expectoration, and difficulty breathing. Severe cases may also show signs of oxygen deprivation such as cyanosis of the lips and changes in nail color; additionally, scattered dry rales can be heard in the lungs, and when there is more sputum, wet rales can be heard at the base of the lungs. It is necessary to promptly choose penicillin-type antibiotics to control the infection and use medications to dilute the sputum for symptomatic treatment. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor based on specific conditions.)

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Written by Han Shun Li

Pulmonology

34sec

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Can bronchitis be cured?

This still depends on the specific situation. If it is acute bronchitis, in most cases, the recovery is usually good after treatment and it can generally be cured. However, in some individual cases, such as elderly and frail patients or those who have not received timely treatment, symptoms may persist and develop into chronic bronchitis. If it is chronic bronchitis, treatment is relatively difficult and it's hard to completely cure. Patients often suffer from the condition every year, with episodes lasting more than three months, affecting the quality of their daily life.

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Written by Wang Xiang Yu

Pulmonology

1min 18sec

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Does bronchitis cause asthma?

Bronchitis can be classified into acute bronchitis and chronic bronchitis based on the onset and progression of the condition. Acute bronchitis usually begins suddenly, with generally mild systemic symptoms. It can include fever and is mostly characterized by a dry cough or a small amount of mucous sputum. Over time, the amount of sputum may increase and the coughing may intensify, occasionally accompanied by blood-streaked sputum. There is generally no significant hemoptysis or chest pain. The duration of cough and expectoration can be quite long, potentially lasting two to three weeks. A small portion of patients may experience prolonged symptoms, eventually progressing to chronic bronchitis. The most common symptoms of chronic bronchitis are also cough and expectoration, but these symptoms last much longer, typically persisting for more than two years and occurring for three months each year. A small number of bronchitis patients may experience bronchial spasms or bronchial asthma, leading to varying degrees of chest tightness, shortness of breath, or wheezing.