While infants with RSV develop bronchiolitis, children over age 2 years and adults just develop cold symptoms. The virus is found in nasal secretions of infected people. It is spread by an infected person who sneezes or coughs less than 6 feet away from someone else or by his or her hands after touching the nose or eyes. People do not develop permanent immunity to the virus, which means that they can be infected by it many times. Overall, the wheezing lasts approximately 7 days and the cough about 14 days.
Bacterial pneumonia is an uncommon complication.
Asthma is easily treated with medications. Some children with bronchiolitis respond to asthma-type medicines, but others do not. Continue the medicine until your child's wheezing is gone for 24 hours. Warm fluids for coughing spasms Coughing spasms are often caused by sticky secretions in the back of the throat. Warm liquids usually relax the airway and loosen the secretions.