Can bronchiolitis be prevented?

Can bronchiolitis be prevented?

Bronchiolitis can be spread by small children through close contact, saliva and mucus. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid others who are sick, and practice good hand washing. Until your child is better, keep him or her home from daycare and be sure to wash toys between uses. Do not share cups, forks or spoons.

In some cases, children may be given the RSV antibody palivizumab (Synagis®) to prevent RSV infections. This might happen if your healthcare provider thinks that your child is at a higher risk of having serious complications. Your child might be one of these if they have congenital heart defects or were very premature.

As with any type of medication, you should discuss palivizumab with your doctor so you understand what it is supposed to do, how and how often it is given and what the side effects might be. Also, you might want to check with your insurance provider to check on costs.