Abstract

Bronchiolitis is the most common acute viral infection of the lower respiratory tract in young children. The walls of the infected bronchioles become swollen and start producing an excessive amount of mucus. Due to the changes in the airways caused by the swelling, the child’s breathing becomes more difcult. The disease course is variable and unpredictable. The most common causes of infection are respiratory viruses. Patients at high risk of severe infection are small children with pre-existing lung disease or heart defect and children born prematurely. Supportive care is the mainstay of treatment of small children with acute bronchiolitis. Nurses play a vital role during the treatment process and can signicantly reduce the length of the recovery time by offering high quality care. The child’s parents are to be actively involved throughout the treatment process. A particularly important task of the nurse involved in the treatment process is health education of parents on restoring health and preventing further infections caused by respiratory viruses.

Key words: acute bronchiolitis, child, nursing sister, nursing.