While infants with RSV develop bronchiolitis, children over age 2 years and adults just develop cold symptoms. The virus is 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 contact with 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.
Some children with bronchiolitis respond to asthma-type medicines for wheezing, but others do not. Continue the medicine until your child's wheezing is gone for 24 hours. Warm liquids usually relax the airway and loosen the secretions. Offer warm lemonade or apple juice if your child is over 4 months old. In addition, breathing warm, moist air helps to loosen the sticky mucus that may be choking your child.