Parents confuse the tell-tale signs
of bronchiolitis with those of a common cold
MAIDENHEAD, UK, 30th Oct 2012 — Only a third of parents of premature
babies are “aware”
that their child is at high risk of contracting bronchiolitis when leaving a
paediatric or neonatal care unit, according to an NOP survey.1 This
is despite the fact that bronchiolitis is the most common cause of hospital admissions
in children under one year of age.2
The survey commissioned by Abbott, the global
healthcare company, to coincide with the second year of the national
bronchiolitis awareness campaign, explored parents'
knowledge of the condition.1
Bronchiolitis affects one in three babies in the UK. It is a
seasonal condition which usually occurs in the winter months between October
and March. It is caused by an
inflammation of the tiny air passages deep inside the lungs, which causes
breathing difficulties.3 This is often confused with bronchitis, which
affects the main airways in the lungs.4 While the majority of bronchiolitis cases are
serious, babies born prematurely or with heart or lung conditions are at
greater risk of more severe complications.
The survey involving 1,973 parents aged 18-40 years
old with a child under five also revealed that despite its prevalence only one in ten parents associate the characteristic symptoms of severe
bronchiolitis - namely the rasping cough, faster breathing, loss of appetite
and high temperature - with the condition. Many parents
continue to confuse the tell-tale signs of bronchiolitis
with those of the common cold or flu.1
The
symptoms of bronchiolitis can be very similar to a cold; however, babies with more
severe bronchiolitis exhibit four symptoms (F.A.C.T), the most significant of
which is a distinctive rasping cough:3
•
Fast
breathing: shallow, quick breaths not taking in much air
•
Appetite:
inability to feed
•
Cough:
distinctive rasping cough
• Temperature: high temperature, usually with
cold-like symptoms such as a runny nose
Dr Shree Vishna Rasiah, a consultant neonatologist
at Birmingham Women’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust says: “Whilst today’s
research suggests that hospitalisation rates for bronchiolitis are rising,
awareness remains low, even among parents of high-risk babies. Education and
prevention are the only way to reduce the number of babies presenting to
hospital with breathing and feeding difficulties during the winter season.”
“I would advise all parents of young infants, particularly
those with premature babies, to practice simple prevention methods at home such
as good hand hygiene, regular washing of toys and keeping babies away from
older children and adults with cold and flu like symptoms. These measures would
reduce the risk of a baby getting bronchiolitis. In babies with bronchiolitis,
it is important to be vigilant and seek medical advice early if there are
concerns about the worsening breathing and feeding difficulties.”
Additionally, according to the results of another NOP survey, commissioned by Abbott
in 20115 and released today, the wider impact of bronchiolitis on families is
also significant. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of parents whose child had had bronchiolitis said they
needed to take time off work to care for them and almost a third (31%) reported
taking one to two weeks off work – mostly unpaid. Half of these parents said their child had been hospitalised for
the condition and that bronchiolitis had placed moderate-to-severe
stress on their relationship with their partner and/or family.
Abbott commissioned both surveys as part of its
ongoing More Than A Cold campaign, announcing the results to mark the
start of the bronchiolitis season – a time when paediatric intensive care units
across the country brace themselves for the “rush hour” traditional winter peak
in activity
The awareness campaign is being supported by the www.morethanacold.co.uk website, which provides parents with accessible information
about bronchiolitis.
References
[1] Abbott data on file - RM17190 (GFK NOP survey 2012)
2 Lung &
Asthma Information Agency – Burden of Respiratory Disease in Childhood
3 NHS
Choices. Bronchiolitis Fact Sheet – Introduction
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Bronchiolitis/Pages/Introduction.aspx (August
2012)
4 NHS
Choices. Bronchitis Fact Sheet – Introduction http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bronchitis/pages/introduction.aspx
(August 2012).
5 Abbott
data on file - RM17191 (GFK NOP
survey 2011)
6 PICANET National Report of the Paediatric Intensive Care Audit
January 2005-December 2007
7 Bush A, Thomson AH; Acute bronchiolitis. BMJ 2007 Nov17;335 (7628):1037-41
8 Handforth J
et al.Paedeatr Respir Rev 2000;1:210-214
