Bronchiolitis

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Bronchiolitis Prevention

Most cases of bronchiolitis are not readily preventable because the viruses that cause this disorder are common in the environment. Careful attention to hand washing, especially around infants, can aid in the prevention or spread of respiratory viruses. Family members with an upper respiratory infection should be especially careful around infants -- hand washing frequently, and certainly, before handling the child.

At this date, there is no RSV vaccine available. However, there are two effective prevention products available for infants at high risk for developing severe disease from RSV. You should consult your child's physician to determine whether either of these would be appropriate for your child. The products are RespiGam (RSV-IGIV) and Synagis (palivizumab).