What is a Whooping cough?

• Whooping cough also called pertussis is a type of airway( throat and lung) infection that is highly contagious( spreads easily)

• It is a long-lasting, boring, dry cough that typically presents in bouts with a continuous cough until the child tires and then inhales with a WHOOP sound( hence the name)

 

SYMPTOMS

• Mild fever, sore throat, cough, running nose

• The cough can last for around three months (whooping cough is also called “hundred day cough”).

• The cough worsens with time

• The cough gets longer with time and presents with continuous irritating cough that tires the child and occasionally the whoop sound

• In younger children, they may vomit at the end of the cough

• There may appear lethargic with red face and stressed

• In babies and young children, they may appear to have apnoea( brief period of stoppage of breathing)

 

CAUSE

• Caused by a bacteria (B. Pertussis)

• This bacteria infects the lining of windpipe and airways to the lungs

• This not only destroys the lining of the airway but irritates it and swells it up and leads to thick mucus formation. due to this irritation, the child keeps on coughing to clear the airway

 

INFECTION PERIOD

• From six days after exposure to bacteria to 3 weeks after the cough begins.

• The infection is transferred from children to children when they cough or sneeze

Children with whooping cough should be kept away from school or nursery until either:

• Five days from the time they start taking antibiotics
• They have had three weeks of intense coughing

 

SEE A DOCTOR IF

• Baby of six months or younger with features suggestive of Whooping cough

• Child with significant breathing difficulties

• Children with Fits,

 

FIRST AID

• Rest
• Drink lots of fluids
• Ibuprofen or Paracetamol to control pain and temperature

 

PREVENTION

• Stay away from school or work until five days from the start of antibiotic treatment or three weeks after the coughing

• Cover child’s mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.

• Wash your and your child’s hands regularly with soap and water.

• Exposed children need antibiotics and vaccination.

 

VACCINATION

• DTaP/IPV/Hib- at  eight (first dose), 12 (second dose) and 16 weeks (third dose) old.

• Pertussis booster at 3-4 years of age

 

TREATMENT

• Breathing support- oxygen, Ventilation ( tube in the throat and breathing done by machine)

• Antibiotics are given to reduce symptoms and shortened the duration of infection

 

DANGER SIGNS

• Severe dehydration

• Unconsciousness/ lethargy

• Breathing difficulty

• Babies< 6 months or with apnoea

• Fits (seizures)