For several weeks the territory has been affected by an epidemic of bronchiolitis which now extends to more than ten French regions. If you live there and you have any doubts about the health of your infant, we will reveal the signs that should alert you.
Currently there are only two regions in France which are not yet affected by the bronchiolitis epidemic which has been raging for several weeks and which has increased in force at the beginning of November. If in recent days the health authorities have been able to observe a slight decline in the epidemic, Public Health France still requires us to be very careful and has even considered that it was useful to remind people of effective actions to protect babies from developing illnesses.
But what is bronchiolitis? It is an infectious disease that affects the respiratory tract, including the small bronchi in children aged one month to two years. Although, as a general rule, bronchiolitis is a benign illness that is cured quickly when properly treated, it still affects a little less than a third of children in the age group concerned each year. But then, how can you spot the warning signs that indicate your child has bronchiolitis? A pediatrician, president of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics, Andreas Werner, gives you his explanations.
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What are the main symptoms?
As Dr. Andreas Werner states, “the easiest sign to watch for» is a dry cough in infants or children. A symptom that is usually accompanied by rapid breathing, difficulty exhaling followed by wheezing, a cold and in some cases even fever. As mentioned above, as a general rule, bronchiolitis is not serious and is cured quite easily: “TAs long as the child sleeps well, eats well and plays with a smile, it is not worrying. Even if he coughs and has symptoms.»
But be careful, bronchiolitis still needs to be monitored closely. Indeed, if your child begins to refuse to eat, if he experiences pauses in breathing or discomfort, it is then advisable to go to the emergency room, as this may be a sign of the severity of the illness.
You should know that a “baby who spends his first winter in a nursery has almost a 100% risk of developing bronchiolitis» explains Dr. Werner. It is therefore important to take certain actions to reduce the spread of the virus: ventilate the rooms, avoid places where there are a lot of people with your baby, wash your hands well, but also clean the surfaces and toys with which other children may have been in contact.
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And if baby has contracted bronchiolitis, what to do?
The pediatrician’s recommendations are quite simple, she advises washing the child’s nose several times a day and breaking up meals into several small quantities to ensure that the baby eats and regains his strength. However, don’t panic if your child is too ill and you have to take care of them yourself, it is possible to set aside days of leave dedicated to this purpose.
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