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Sneezes and Wheezes

Childhood Respiratory Illnesses

By Donna Smith

Unlike RSV, influenza, croup and the common cold, bronchitis can be caused by a bacteria or virus. Another deferential is that bronchitis affects the lungs. "Bronchitis is more the lower airway," says Dr. Abramson. "You have the upper airway, which is the nose, and then we have the lower airway, which is the lungs. In younger infants we call it bronchiolitis, because it can involve the smaller airway as well."

Symptoms include breathing problems, coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and chest pain, so it can also be a feature of asthma. "If there's wheezing, or what we call reactive airway disease, then the child may benefit from some breathing treatments in the hospital for a while," says Dr. Abramson. If there are no complications, bronchitis can, and usually is, treated at home.

While respiratory tract illnesses can sometimes be serious and require hospitalization, they are also quite common and can routinely be taken care of at home. "If a parent has questions, they should call their primary care physician," says Dr. Abramson. "Certainly infections associated with high fever should seek medical attention. And if they have increasing respiratory difficulties – worsening cough, chest tightness, chest pain – those sorts of things are red flags that one should seek medical attention."

Want to see more?

• Tackling Influenza: Making a Healthy Decision This Flu Season
• RSV: Battling the Wintertime Bug
• The Facts About RSV: What Every Parent Should Know
• Talk about it!