Toddler Bronchitis Symptoms

Cough, cough, cough… Does your child spend sleepless nights because of this persistent cough? Coughing is a way of clearing up the air passage when the child faces an obstacle while breathing. However, when there is an infection in the main air passages of the upper lungs caused by a virus or bacteria, it is termed as bronchitis. Toddler Bronchitis is not a very serious condition and is easily curable.

How To Identify Toddler Bronchitis

Generally, we parents tend to get worried the moment we hear the word bronchitis as we are under the impression that it is some serious disease. However, this is just a misconception. Bronchitis is curable and is just like any other viral or bacterial infection. Here is how you can identify if your child is suffering from bronchitis.

• Coughing with a rattling sound
• Spitting of yellow or green colored mucus
• If your child complains of chest pain while coughing
• Rattling breathing sound
• Sore throat

Treatment for Toddler Bronchitis

If your child is running more than 101 degrees fever, coughing with a rattling sound, and spitting mucus, you need to take him/her to a doctor. This is probably a bacterial infection. A short course of antibiotics will take care of it and provide relief to your child.

Home Remedies for Toddler Bronchitis

Here are some home remedies you can put into use along with the medication prescribed by your doctor:

• Steam: Make your bathroom steamy by running a hot shower with the doors closed. Make your child sit in the bathroom for 20 minutes every day. This will clear the respiratory tract and provide relief to your child.

• Chest pounding: Pounding the chest, sides, and upper back lightly several times while steaming will relieve chest pain.

• Administering a cough suppressant: Administering a cough suppressant prescribed by the doctor will help in suppressing the cough, and in turn, help your child sleep peacefully.

• Keep your child hydrated. Give your child plenty of fluids so that he/she is very well hydrated. This helps relieve congestion and also prevent dehydration.

• Prop your child up while he is resting and sleeping to make breathing easy for him.

• Encourage your child to get plenty of rest. Dust, smoke, and cold weather may aggravate the situation. So provide him/her with a warm, smoke and dust free clean room.

• Try saline nasal drops to relieve nasal blockage, if any.
Prevention is better than cure. Good nutrition, good hygiene, adequate sleep and staying away from those who are ill can protect your child from this malady