the bronchiolitis epidemic intensifies in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

Between 31 October and 6 November, the bronchiolitis epidemic was the cause of 693 emergency visits to hospitals in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, or 19% more than the previous week. To alleviate these already saturated services, city doctors, pediatricians and physiotherapists are organizing themselves to welcome their young patients 7 days a week.

At the origin of a record number of hospitalizations “for more than ten years”, which is fueling the crisis in pediatrics, the bronchiolitis epidemic hits early and hard in France early this year, prompting the government to activate an expected emergency plan for exceptional health situations.

This wave affects the entire metropolis, including the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, where almost 50% of hospitalizations of children under the age of two are due to bronchiolitis, according to the latest data published by Public Health France. In terms of general medicine, according to data from the SOS Medici associations of the region, procedures for the diagnosis of bronchiolitis in children under 2 are also on the increase: 96 acts between 31 October and 6 November (week 44) this is 11.5% the overall activity of the SOS Medici associations in this age group (versus 9.5% in week 43). The consultation rate for bronchiolitis is high, higher than that of the epidemic peak of 2021-2022.

Common and highly contagious, this disease, most commonly caused by respiratory syncytial virus (VRS extension)causes children to cough and have difficult, rapid, wheezing breathing. If it may worry the parents, it is more often than not it is benign. But, in some cases, it may require a visit to the emergency room or even hospitalization.

In case of suspected bronchiolitis there are several alternatives to avoid overloading the emergency room, especially on weekends and holidays. At the Clinique Mutualiste des Eaux-Claires in Grenoble, for example, several independent doctors provide shift duty. This Friday, November 11, the toilet was not empty. “Every second child I have seen so far had bronchiolitis.summarizes Samia Ben Lamine, liberal pediatrician. This guard is important. We are all in our offices during the week, and on weekends and holidays, we turn up here in the clinic to help our colleagues in the CHU emergency department and download them a little“.

As the epidemic grows, even city doctors are overwhelmed. “We are all immersed in our closets, she acknowledges. This week I went out in 20h30 et 22h your toilet. My colleagues too. As a pediatrician, we have emergency appointments that we make same day and their numbers have exploded. This means that once we have seen the children for the usual checkup, we continue with emergencies and we have never had so many.”.

The observation is the same at the center of respiratory physiotherapy Pol air from Grenoble. This Friday morning, Lisa Crozet Touzeauphysiotherapist, Welcome Being15 months. Like his twin brother, he suffers from recurrent bronchiolitis and comes to this practice regularly. Health professionals practice two methods of relieving the little ones. “Two methods are used, explains Lisa Crozet. D’him first There is a slow and sustained exhalation, which consists of pushing the baby to breathe for as long as possible. And autogenic drainage, where you press less on the chest and the baby goes there on his own. The goal is to clean up and restore good ventilation in the lungs. In general, children with bronchiolitis breathe very quickly. Suddenly, their chest is a little swollen and the goal is to release it.

Doctors are asking us to do surveillance to prevent parents rushing their children to the emergency room too quickly. We are here to watch.

Lisa Crozet Touzeau, physiotherapist.

The physiotherapist notes that for two weeks the number of consultations for bronchiolitis has increased. “ON it’s not quite overwhelmed yet, but we’re not far off. We are forced to work together on the weekends, whereas before we managed on our own. Doctors are asking us to do surveillance to prevent parents rushing their children to the emergency room too quickly. We are there to act as sentinels, monitor the conditions of the children, give advice and suggestions to parents.”

in case of acute bronchiolitishealth professionals advise parents to split meals, wash nose before each meal, and pay attention to signs of severity. It is advisable to call 15 if the newborn has pauses in breathing or if he is breathing slowly, if he turns blue around the mouth, if he refuses the breast or bottle, if he does not feel well, is very tired, moans or sleeps all the time .