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Symptoms of acute bronchitis in children
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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The onset of acute bronchitis is usually gradual. Against the background of the distinctive features of ARVI, characteristic of a particular respiratory virus, there is an increase in coughing, especially at night. The cough is initially dry, rough, sometimes intrusive, without secretions or with a difficult to separate lump of mucous sputum after repeated coughing fits. Body temperature in the first days depends on the nature and course of ARVI, then in the clinical picture of uncomplicated bronchitis - normal or subfebrile. Young children may have lethargy, whims, sleep and appetite disturbances.
In simple bronchitis, signs of bronchial obstruction and respiratory failure are not observed. During percussion of the lungs, local symptoms are absent, there may be a slight shortening of the sound in the interscapular space, breathing is harsh, well conducted to all parts of the lungs, scattered dry wheezing is heard over the entire surface of the chest on both sides. At the height of inspiration, along with dry wheezing, moist wheezing of various sizes, mainly large and medium bubbling, can be heard. The number of wheezing during the day can change, it also changes after coughing. On the 3rd-5th day, the cough becomes moist, sputum begins to leave, mucous or mucopurulent. During auscultation, moist wheezing disappears, the number of dry wheezing decreases, they become less sonorous. Productive cough is one of the most pathognomonic symptoms of acute simple bronchitis.
In the presence of clear clinical and anamnestic data indicating acute bronchitis, radiographic examination is not necessary.
An X-ray examination becomes mandatory if there is a suspicion of a local or predominantly unilateral nature of the lesion during examination of the bronchopulmonary system, especially when combined with fever for more than three days, severe signs of intoxication, leukocytosis, neutrophilia and increased ESR.
Differential diagnostics are carried out with pneumonia, bronchopulmonary diseases, exacerbations of which can occur with the clinical picture of acute bronchitis (cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, etc.). If pneumonia is suspected (asymmetry of physical data, pronounced signs of intoxication), chest X-ray is mandatory.
The duration of acute bronchitis is usually 2-3 weeks.
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