“How long does it take for a child to get over bronchitis?”

About 2 weeks.

Most healthy children without underlying lung diseases like asthma will recover in 1-2 weeks. However, sometimes Mycoplasma infection may act like viral bronchitis, it will not recover spontaneously unless treated by a macrolide like Zithromax. When things doesn't seem right, be sure to get recheck with her daughter. A secondary bacterial infection could be a possibility if she gets worse.

True bronchitis is a viral infection and can takes weeks (!) to resolve.

"Bronchitis" is the medical term for a cough that involves the "bronchi" or large airways. It is nonspecific as to the cause, which can be inflammatory, or infectious (either bacterial or viral). What is causing the cough is critical to appropriate treatment and expected duration, etc. Antibiotics, such as Zithromax or amoxicillin, are indicated ONLY for documented bacterial coughs, which are extremely rare. Viral coughs resolve on their own, and inflammatory coughs, such as from asthma or allergies, are addressed by treating the underlying cause. Your
pediatrician can determine the cause of the cough based on physical exam and recommend the appropriate treatment plan. Typical viral coughs, which are the most common, can last for 2-3 weeks or more.

Shelley C. Springer, MD, MBA, MSc, JD, FAAP