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Original poster

Why does bronchiolitis sound so freaking scary?

39 replies

VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 21:52

I'd love some words of reassurance more than anything.

I've already been twice to A n E in two days because he sounds as if he's struggling to breathe and they told me that it's just bronchiolitis and he'll be fine soon.

His breathing sounds really scary. They heard it at A n E and said it's normal with bronchiolitis and basically I needn't worry unless he has episodes where his breathing stops. He is 18 months by the way

It's just been one illness after the other since he's joined nursery but this one is the worst. I've missed so many days of work and lagging behind. I've got a big deadline coming up and now with this latest illness I know I won't be
able to make it. Uggh I dread having to tell my boss tomorrow. Dc1 had bronchiolitis when she was just a few months old and I don't remember her being so poorly with it or struggling so much to breathe.

Sorry I know I'm ranting more than anything. I'm just stressed, tired and worried and I feel so bad for Ds. It can't be fun having to put so much effort into breathing.

OP posts:
WalkingOnSonshine · 20/11/2022 21:54

It’s awful and puts you so on edge.

DS had it all last week and DH/I had to take all week off work to tag team. He’s now full of beans and we’re shattered.

The rattling at 3am as he slept between us was really scary. I was close to calling 111.

The positive is that they typically come through it and are completely back to their crazy, jumping off table selves in a couple of days.

queenofarles · 20/11/2022 21:58

Dd had it, she was quite poorly for couple of days and now she’s absolutely fine ,
antihistamine medicine really helps to calm down the coughing fits,

WeightoftheWorld · 20/11/2022 21:59

Sympathies.

My DD had it twice under the age of 1. The first time she was 5 months old and it was her first ever illness. She basically coughed most of the time since then until she was about 3.5 years old! Such that she had ongoing inhalers because GP and paediatrician were wondering whether she may be asthmatic. However at 4.5 I cant remember the last time she used an inhaler and finally seems to have outgrown it all over the last year or so.

My DS is 13 months and has had it 3 times, he's just recovered from his third bout. His second bout was at 11 months old and wound him in hospital for a few days on oxygen treatment. I took him to A&E when he was failing to rouse properly after waking from a long nap and couldn't stay awake or respond properly. That was really scary stuff.

Original poster
VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 22:00

WalkingOnSonshine · 20/11/2022 21:54

It’s awful and puts you so on edge.

DS had it all last week and DH/I had to take all week off work to tag team. He’s now full of beans and we’re shattered.

The rattling at 3am as he slept between us was really scary. I was close to calling 111.

The positive is that they typically come through it and are completely back to their crazy, jumping off table selves in a couple of days.

Thank you so much walking. Glad to hear your ds is better again. According to the doctor yesterday apparently there are lots of kids with bronchiolitis at the moment and even today I kept hearing the nurses mention bronchiolitis.

I'm lying down next to ds and I really need to get up and do some work and eat something (with all that time spent in a n e I've barely slept or eaten this weekend) but I don't want to leave him. I've got a baby monitor but still. Or maybe I'm just trying to avoid work.

OP posts:
Original poster
VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 22:01

queenofarles · 20/11/2022 21:58

Dd had it, she was quite poorly for couple of days and now she’s absolutely fine ,
antihistamine medicine really helps to calm down the coughing fits,

That's a great tip. Thank you!!

OP posts:
TalkisChips · 20/11/2022 22:03

According to the doctor yesterday apparently there are lots of kids with bronchiolitis at the moment

Every winter. Bronch season is well known and we wait for it every year.

BakedTattie · 20/11/2022 22:04

My son spent his first Christmas and new year in high care for this. He was 6 weeks old. It was awful.

he’s now a super healthy 7 year old. But those days when he was a baby were horrendous

Original poster
VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 22:06

WeightoftheWorld · 20/11/2022 21:59

Sympathies.

My DD had it twice under the age of 1. The first time she was 5 months old and it was her first ever illness. She basically coughed most of the time since then until she was about 3.5 years old! Such that she had ongoing inhalers because GP and paediatrician were wondering whether she may be asthmatic. However at 4.5 I cant remember the last time she used an inhaler and finally seems to have outgrown it all over the last year or so.

My DS is 13 months and has had it 3 times, he's just recovered from his third bout. His second bout was at 11 months old and wound him in hospital for a few days on oxygen treatment. I took him to A&E when he was failing to rouse properly after waking from a long nap and couldn't stay awake or respond properly. That was really scary stuff.

Oh no that sounds stressful. Glad your DD has grown out of it now. Your poor ds. 3 times in 3 months doesn't sound like fun

Ds was a bit lethargic today. Just staring into space. Barely even cried. Again the doctor said it's to be expected. It just sounds wrong (the breathing...not necessarily the doctor)

OP posts:
InBlue · 20/11/2022 22:09

It’s very scary. We found that sitting with them in a very steamy bathroom (shower running on hot) can help, baby would cough up a big lump of green snot after and get some relief.

CatSeany · 20/11/2022 22:39

I barely slept when my son had it a couple of years ago. He had a few episodes over approx 6 months with one 3 night hospital admission and one overnight hospital admission. It was fine in hospital but I felt so paranoid at home not being able to check his sats. Scary time... I empathise with you.

Original poster
VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 22:52

CatSeany · 20/11/2022 22:39

I barely slept when my son had it a couple of years ago. He had a few episodes over approx 6 months with one 3 night hospital admission and one overnight hospital admission. It was fine in hospital but I felt so paranoid at home not being able to check his sats. Scary time... I empathise with you.

I'm so tempted to go back to A n E but I know it's pointless. Yesterday they asked me to return if he stops eating and becomes lethargic, which happened today so I went back and today they told me to return if he stops breathing or goes blue. Isn't that a bit too late?

Can I ask for the ones whose kids were admitted to hospital do you know what was the deciding factor?

Ds's stats are decent. Good oxygen saturation, etc so I assume he isn't serious but his breathing is freaking me out.

OP posts:
Original poster
VirusesSuck · 20/11/2022 23:19

I've opened the window a bit and angled his mattress to help with his breathing. Also sprayed saline Spray into one nostril. He woke up and then wouldn't let me do the other one. Is there anything else I can do now to make him breathe easier?.I mean anything I can do while he's asleep?

OP posts:
Nissalabella · 20/11/2022 23:29

My little one had a few bouts of it when he was tiny and ended up hospitalised for 3 nights when he was 7 months because his oxygen levels kept dropping. Things I found helped him sleep better were raising the mattress up almost to sitting position (easy to do with the hospital bed but a wedge pillow works at home) cleaning out his nose with salt water spray regularly (Dr said up to 10 times a day!) steamy bathroom environment just before bed and hanky with Vics vapour rub in the room but not in his bed! I hope that helps and your little guy feels better soon!

Nissalabella · 20/11/2022 23:31

Forgot to say, I didn’t have one back then but now we have a cheap oxygen finger reader which we can easily check oxygen levels with if any of us are ill (Covid lockdown purchase 😅) just a little bit of reassurance in the middle of the night when you’re worried about them

bumblenbean · 21/11/2022 00:11

It’s a horrible illness when they’re tiny, I feel for you. DS was in hospital with it over Christmas for a week aged 2.5 months :(

what scared me was how difficult it was to know what was ‘normal’ and what wasn’t. The day he was admitted I took him to GP, she listened to his chest and said just a virus, all sounds ok. My parents came round that evening and my mum said she didn’t like the sound of his breathing and said to call the out of hours- they sent us straight to hospital where he stayed, and where we spent his first Xmas.

The admitting doctor was really brusque and basically berated us for not bringing him earlier as his sats were low and apparently if we hadn’t taken him in he may have stopped breathing. I was so upset as GP had checked him out and assured us he was ok. But the point I’m making is, if you’re worried don’t be fobbed off or afraid to ask for them to check him again. It’s reassuring his sats were normal though.

things to look for - ‘sucking in’ between the ribs when breathing, flared nostrils etc, obviously no wet nappies etc. But I found it hard to tell if there was ‘sucking in’ when he breathed, so if you’re at all worried I would call 111 for advice- don’t worry about wasting their time .

mullyluo · 21/11/2022 00:24

DS1 was the same as soon as he started nursery he caught absolutely everything. Got bronchiolitis twice, both times ended up in hospital on oxygen and the cough and wheezing lasted for ages as well, he was basically labelled a 'happy wheezer' as he would happily run around all day wheezing away. When he turned two he massively improved and hasn't wheezed since (he's about to turn 6) but I remember how hard it was for that year or so constantly having to call into work to tell them I couldn't come in. As said previously if you feel he isn't right take him into A&E. The only way to know for sure is to get his sat level checked.

Original poster
VirusesSuck · 21/11/2022 08:35

Nissalabella · 20/11/2022 23:29

My little one had a few bouts of it when he was tiny and ended up hospitalised for 3 nights when he was 7 months because his oxygen levels kept dropping. Things I found helped him sleep better were raising the mattress up almost to sitting position (easy to do with the hospital bed but a wedge pillow works at home) cleaning out his nose with salt water spray regularly (Dr said up to 10 times a day!) steamy bathroom environment just before bed and hanky with Vics vapour rub in the room but not in his bed! I hope that helps and your little guy feels better soon!

Thank you. Raising the mattress and opening the window helped I think but it was one hell of a scary night.

Will get the suction bulb thing and wicks today.

OP posts:
Original poster
VirusesSuck · 21/11/2022 08:38

Nissalabella · 20/11/2022 23:31

Forgot to say, I didn’t have one back then but now we have a cheap oxygen finger reader which we can easily check oxygen levels with if any of us are ill (Covid lockdown purchase 😅) just a little bit of reassurance in the middle of the night when you’re worried about them

We've got one but ds didn't let us put it on properly. It said 80 for ox sat but then it was 97 in a n e so I assume it was wrong.

OP posts:
Original poster
VirusesSuck · 21/11/2022 08:41

bumblenbean · 21/11/2022 00:11

It’s a horrible illness when they’re tiny, I feel for you. DS was in hospital with it over Christmas for a week aged 2.5 months :(

what scared me was how difficult it was to know what was ‘normal’ and what wasn’t. The day he was admitted I took him to GP, she listened to his chest and said just a virus, all sounds ok. My parents came round that evening and my mum said she didn’t like the sound of his breathing and said to call the out of hours- they sent us straight to hospital where he stayed, and where we spent his first Xmas.

The admitting doctor was really brusque and basically berated us for not bringing him earlier as his sats were low and apparently if we hadn’t taken him in he may have stopped breathing. I was so upset as GP had checked him out and assured us he was ok. But the point I’m making is, if you’re worried don’t be fobbed off or afraid to ask for them to check him again. It’s reassuring his sats were normal though.

things to look for - ‘sucking in’ between the ribs when breathing, flared nostrils etc, obviously no wet nappies etc. But I found it hard to tell if there was ‘sucking in’ when he breathed, so if you’re at all worried I would call 111 for advice- don’t worry about wasting their time .

Yes, that's my worry andthat is why we have already taken him twice. The doctor said if he's sucking in it will be obvious but he's quite a fat baby so I'm not sure I'll be able to tell the difference. Also, I don't want to keep waking him when he's sleeping (he always sleeps on his front). He's had wet nappoes GVC

OP posts:
BabarEnFamille · 21/11/2022 08:42

Have they given you a salbutamol inhaler for him?
DS had several hospital trips with bronchiolitis from 8 months to 3 years old and once he turned 1 they treated with salbutamol in hospital and prescribed a blue inhaler for at home use. Was handy when he started to get a cold and to treat on the way to hospital.
It’s awful though, so scary - I hope he improves soon

RonObvious · 21/11/2022 08:44

VirusesSuck · 21/11/2022 08:38

We've got one but ds didn't let us put it on properly. It said 80 for ox sat but then it was 97 in a n e so I assume it was wrong.

Show quote history

We had that recently too - I think those home ones aren’t good for little fingers. My son was reading as 88, so we took him in (asthma and a nasty virus). At first in the hospital he was still reading as low, but then it jumped up, once the machine had settled. It’s annoying, because I only really got it for him! (It seems accurate for the rest of us).

GrapesAreMyJam · 21/11/2022 08:44

This reply has been deleted

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster
VirusesSuck · 21/11/2022 08:45

mullyluo · 21/11/2022 00:24

DS1 was the same as soon as he started nursery he caught absolutely everything. Got bronchiolitis twice, both times ended up in hospital on oxygen and the cough and wheezing lasted for ages as well, he was basically labelled a 'happy wheezer' as he would happily run around all day wheezing away. When he turned two he massively improved and hasn't wheezed since (he's about to turn 6) but I remember how hard it was for that year or so constantly having to call into work to tell them I couldn't come in. As said previously if you feel he isn't right take him into A&E. The only way to know for sure is to get his sat level checked.

Yes, thank you. I feel a bit reassured that we've survived the night. Hopefully he'll get better soon now. I wish we could just be triaged at hospital and then sent him if his sats are fine but once we are there they obviously want to check him thoroughly so it's usually 4-5h.

OP posts:
Zanatdy · 21/11/2022 08:49

It’s horrible. DS1 had whooping cough and bronchitis at 4 months old and I had to take him to the GP 5 times, before taking him to A&E, to be sent home then to receive a phone call from the A&E doctor who said she had slept on it and wanted me to bring him back. By that stage he had started to projectile vomit his milk, classic sign of WC. Keep taking him back if you’re worried. I completely understand re nursery and catching everything, both DS2 and DD caught everything going and I had to take a lot of time off - back in the day before home working

FaazoHuyzeoSix · 21/11/2022 08:53

I am not a doctor and my experience is a few years old so don't take this as infallible:

My DS spent days in hospital regularly with bronchiolitis. They don't diagnose asthma under the age of 5 but virally induced bronchiolitis and asthma present similarly in young children and yes it is scarey and it should be - not understanding and not taking it seriously can lead to very serious illness.

When he's struggling, take off his top and look at his rib cage as he breathes in. If his ribs get more visible as he sucks air in that's the indication that he is having to put additional muscular effort into filling his lungs and he needs help.

It's way better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention sooner rather than later. Get a finger-clip blood oxygen monitor and keep an eye on his numbers - if SpO2 is less than 90 go to hospital. If it's not that bad but often in the low 90s then ask for a ventolin inhaler which can make a big difference.

Don't be afraid to make a fuss to get your child seen. Not being able to breathe isn't to be brushed off as "just" anything, and you don't want to wait until breathing actually stops before action is taken.