Causes of bronchitis in children and how to deal with it

Children still have immune systems that are not as strong as adults, so children are more susceptible to disease. Disease can attack children through anything. Bacteria or viruses can enter a child's body through the air they breathe, the food they eat, and so on. One of the diseases that can affect children is bronchitis. What causes bronchitis in children? Check out the following explanation.

What is bronchitis?

Bronchitis is inflammation of the walls of the bronchial tubes (airways that connect the throat (trachea) to the lungs). This wall produces mucus which functions to protect organs and tissues in the respiratory system. Bronchitis can make it more difficult for your child to inhale and exhale from the lungs. This irritates the tissue, which results in more mucus.

Bronchitis is divided into two types, namely:

Acute bronchitis, lasts for a short time (only a few weeks) but can cause severe symptoms. Acute bronchitis is bronchitis that most often affects children.
Chronic bronchitis, lasts for a longer time (up to several months or years) and can occur in mild to severe conditions. Usually this chronic bronchitis is more common in adults. The most common cause of chronic bronchitis is smoking.

What causes bronchitis in children?

Children usually suffer more often acute bronchitis. The cause of bronchitis in children (acute bronchitis) is usually a virus, but it can also be caused by bacterial infections, allergies, and irritation from cigarette smoke, pollution, or dust.

When a child has a cold, flu, sore throat, or chronic sinusitis caused by a virus, this virus can spread to the bronchial area. The virus in the bronchial area can then cause the airways to become swollen, inflamed, and blocked by the mucus they produce.

These viruses can be spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing. The virus can also be spread when a child touches the mouth, nose, or from the snot or respiratory fluids of an infected person who sticks to objects held by the child.

What are the symptoms of bronchitis in children?

The first symptom most often shown by children with acute bronchitis is a dry cough, which can then develop into a cough with phlegm. This cough is triggered by inflammation of the walls of the bronchial tubes. In addition, other symptoms of bronchitis in children are:

Runny nose, which usually occurs before the child coughs
The body feels weak and does not feel well
Headache
Chills
Fever, usually mild around 37.8 ° C to 38.3 ° C
Hard to breathe
Pain in the chest
Wheezing
Sore throat

Each child may show different symptoms. These symptoms usually last for 7 to 14 days or they can last for three to four weeks.

How to treat bronchitis in children?

If the child shows the symptoms mentioned above, you should immediately take the child to the doctor. The doctor may give antibiotics if the cause of the bronchitis is a bacterial infection. However, bronchitis is usually caused by viruses, so giving antibiotics will not help.

Meanwhile, some things you can do as a parent to reduce symptoms of bronchitis in children are:

Give children plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration
Keeping the humidity of the child's room can be done by placing a humidifier in the child's room
Let the child get enough sleep
Give the child paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve fever
Give the child saline nasal drops to relieve nasal congestion
Should not give children cough suppressants. Coughing is actually the body's way of expelling mucus in a child's respiratory tract. To relieve a child's cough, you should give honey.