More Than Just a Cold?
December 17, 2018
Recently, our office has seen quite a few young patients with bronchiolitis, which is a serious respiratory infection whose symptoms are very similar to the common cold. Both the common cold and bronchiolitis are caused by the same virus--respiratory syncytial virus (or RSV). So we are sharing this guide, from the American Academy of Pediatrics, with our parents and guardians. You'll find more information about RSV and how to tell the difference between a common cold and bronchiolitis.
Almost all children get RSV at least once before they are 2 years old. For most healthy children, RSV is like a cold. But, some children get very sick with RSV.
What is RSV?
RSV (or respiratory syncytial virus) is one of the many viruses that cause respiratory illness―illnesses of the nose, throat, and lungs. This virus occurs in the late fall through early spring months.
Typically, RSV causes a cold, which may be followed by bronchiolitis or pneumonia. Symptoms generally last an average of 5-7 days.
