Bronchiolitis is a common illness in young children most often caused by various viruses. Viruses spread when someone who is sick coughs on us, or when our hands are dirty and we touch our mouths, eyes or nose. Bronchiolitis most often happens during the winter months.
It starts with symptoms similar to a common cold such as a runny or congested nose, sneezing, coughing and fever, and then a few days later more coughing, faster and harder breathing, as well as noisy breathing (a wheezing sound), and difficulty drinking fluids. Bronchiolitis usually improves after the first week, but some symptoms can take several weeks to go away completely.