Here we go again. Between November 20 and 26, 2017, 3,824 French children under the age of 2 went to the emergency room for bronchiolitis – of these, 1,377 were hospitalized.
According to the Sentinels Network, the bronchiolitis epidemic is officially declared in 11 metropolitan regions: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, Center-Val-de-Loire, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, PACA and Pays-de- the Loire. Only Corsica and the Grand-Est region are (for the moment) spared.
Caused by the respiratory syncitial virus (RSV), bronchiolitis is a contagious disease that affects nearly 30% of children under the age of 2 each year, especially in autumn and winter. The virus causes inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles (the first branches of the respiratory tract) and an increase in secretions, responsible for a phenomenon of obstruction.
A viral and contagious disease … but generally benign
While the symptoms can be impressive (dry or fatty cough, difficulty breathing, rapid wheezing, difficulty swallowing, moderate fever, fatigue), bronchiolitis is usually mild. For small patients aged less than 3 months, an appointment with the pediatrician (or with the family doctor) is nevertheless required …
“In the majority of cases, bronchiolitis heals spontaneously after 5 to 10 days, but the cough can persist for 2 to 4 weeks”, indicates the InVS (National Institute for Health Watch) in a brochure intended for parents.
To avoid contaminating other children in the family, InVS also recommends strict hygiene rules: the RSV virus is very resistant, it is essential to wash your hands frequently, and to carefully clean baby bottles and baby toys. children, ventilate the sick child’s room every day for at least 10 minutes and avoid confined spaces – elevators, public transport, etc.
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