Whooping Cough
The symptoms: Pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough) initially seems like a cold but then after a week or so the cough gets worse with severe bouts that are characterized by inhaling deeply and quickly between coughs, which often is but not always accompanied by a whooping sound. You can listen to it here through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. “Newborns and young infants do not have the strength to develop this ‘whooping’ sound and may instead have periods where they cannot breathe,” explains MD Consult, a physician’s resource. “Coughing attacks may occur frequently and can last about 2 minutes. Your child may have these attacks for two weeks or more,” it describes. During this period, the child’s skin around his mouth may have a bluish tinge, and he might drool or vomit, too.
What causes it: This highly contagious respiratory infection is caused by bacteria and is spread through coughing and sneezing. The pertussis vaccine, which babies receive and the booster shots that children get, prevents this harmful illness. But whooping cough outbreaks have occurred in areas where there are a higher number of people who choose not to get vaccinated, and until infants are old enough to be fully immunized against it, they are at risk.
What to do: Contact your child’s pediatrician. “If pertussis is confirmed, antibiotics could be prescribed to prevent transmitting it,” says Dr. Asta. If your child is a baby, particularly if she’s younger than 6 months old, she may be treated in a hospital. As directed, parents should not bring their child to school or daycare. At home, children need to rest and parents can run cool-mist humidifiers or vaporizers in their kids’ rooms to help soothe irritated airways. MD Consult also recommends that children drink enough fluids so their urine runs clear or pale yellow and to give them small meals if they’re throwing up. To help drain mucus and improve breathing, it suggests raising the head of the mattress and sitting your child upright. Keep a close watch over your child, and stay in touch with her doctor, immediately letting her know if the condition gets worse.
