How to treat bronchitis? 2026

Especially in children between 2 and 4 years old (stage in which the highest incidence occurs), and especially much more common when it is cold, it becomes a fairly common disease, even more so in young children. For this reason, it is a condition that is usually found in pediatric consultations, especially in these age ranges.

Depending on the type of affectation, we may be faced with acute bronchitis (the most common) or chronic bronchitis (also known medically as recurrent, which is bronchitis that lasts more than three months, or recurs more than four times a year).

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It consists of the inflammation of the bronchi, which are tubes found in the respiratory system, in which the trachea bifurcates and, in turn, subdivide into a series of increasingly finer branches, until they reach the lungs. Specifically, it is the inflammation of the different mucous membranes of the bronchial tubes.

This inflammatory process also affects the trachea itself, causing an increase in secretions and congestion, as well as a dry, irritating cough that can become painful and gradually becomes wetter.

It is usual for bronchitis to resolve within approximately 5 to 10 days. However, in some cases it can persist for up to a couple of weeks. Despite being usually caused by a viral infection, when symptoms worsen or fever appears that appears late, a bacterial superinfection may have occurred, which may become more serious and require the administration of antibiotics (always under proper prescription and medical supervision).

How is the treatment of childhood bronchitis?

In most cases, it is not necessary to treat childhood bronchitis with antibiotics, since most infections are caused by viruses. However, depending on the clinical picture, if the pediatrician suspects it or due to the culture of sputum and nasal discharge, the prescription of this type of medication may be necessary. Even children who have been coughing for more than eight or ten days usually do not need antibiotics either.

If the doctor thinks your child may have bronchitis, he or she will examine your child and listen to his or her chest with the help of a stethoscope. This way, you will be able to detect possible signs of not only congestion, but also wheezing. In addition, they will ask you about the symptoms that the child has had previously, what medications they have taken and any allergies they may have, based on their medical history.

He or she may also order a chest x-ray to rule out any other respiratory condition, such as pneumonia. And to rule out asthma, you may also sometimes order a breathing test known as spirometry.

Specific treatment for childhood acute bronchitis will be determined by your child's doctor based on:

• The child's age, medical history and general health.
• The extension of the painting.
• Your tolerance to certain medications and therapies.
• Expectations regarding the course of the painting.

In any case, any treatment must include adequate hand hygiene, in addition to avoiding tobacco smoke.

The provision of abundant fluids is recommended, in principle orally, through a tube or intravenous fluids if this is not enough, always under constant monitoring. In addition, it is essential that the little one gets enough rest.

What medications are prescribed for the treatment of bronchitis in children?

Among the most commonly used drugs we find:

• Mucolytics: They help reduce viscosity by improving the fluidization of mucus, helping to make its elimination easier.
• Corticosteroids: They are useful medications to reduce inflammation, especially if it is very high. In the particular case of corticosteroids, for example, they are also useful for allergic rhinitis or asthma.
• Bronchodilators: These are often administered through inhalers or nebulizer machines, and are especially useful in helping to relax and open the bronchi, as well as clear mucus, allowing the child to breathe more easily.

What if the child has chronic bronchitis? In this case, the key is to reduce your exposure to anything that is irritating your bronchi. For example, tobacco smoke from those who smoke around them is usually one of the most common causes.

We must remember that acute bronchitis generally resolves within 1 to 2 weeks, and in most cases it does not cause any complications.

Remember: antibiotics do not cure viral infections

Only when the pediatrician or doctor believes that the infection may be caused by bacteria (and that we are therefore faced with a bacterial infection, as is usually the case with bacterial tonsillitis), is he or she will indicate the possibility of following a treatment based on antibiotics.

However, antibiotics are not often prescribed since bronchitis, in most cases, is usually caused by a virus. And we must not forget that antibiotics do not work for viruses.

On the contrary, taking antibiotics when we do not actually suffer from a bacterial infection can be really risky and become a serious danger to the health of both adults and children, since their abuse for years has led to the development of resistant bacteria, which means that they no longer respond to antibiotic-action medications that could combat them in the not too distant past.