Summary of guideline
Clinical Contents:
- Diagnosis
- Initial illness severity assessment
- Risk factors for severe illness
- Investigations
- SARS-CoV-2 co-infection
- Monitoring
- Respiratory support
- Medication
- Nasal suction and clearance techniques
- Hydration and nutrition
- Discharge planning
- Prevention of RSV bronchiolitis
- Infection control
- Education modules
Technical Contents:
Monitoring
Observations as per local hospital guidelines and Early Warning Tools (EWTs) are appropriate for monitoring infants with bronchiolitis.
Do not routinely use a formal bronchiolitis severity scoring system to predict need for hospital admission or length of stay in infants presenting or admitted to hospital with bronchiolitis. (Evidence quality: very low; recommendation strength: weak)
Do not routinely use continuous pulse oximetry for medical management of non-hypoxaemic infants with bronchiolitis who are not receiving supplemental oxygen, or in stable infants receiving low flow oxygen therapy, who are not at risk of apnoea. (Evidence quality: moderate; recommendation strength: conditional)