Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the bacteria bordetella pertussis. It can last up to 10 weeks. According to the CDC, whooping cough is spreading nationwide at the highest levels since 2014. There have been more than 16,000 cases this year — more than four times as many compared to the same time last year — and two confirmed deaths.
Deaths associated with whooping cough are rare but most commonly occur in infants. That’s why it’s so important for pregnant women — and other people who will have close contact with an infant — to be vaccinated against whooping cough.
One of the problems with immunization is that it is a five-dose series over the course of the first six years of a child’s life, so it requires regular visits to the doctor, which may be a problem for many families. If you have difficulty getting to a doctor, check with your drug store to see if the pharmacist can keep you and your children up to date on vaccines.
Early symptoms: Similar to a cold, such as a runny nose, sore throat, low-grade fever, and mild cough.
Later symptoms: Violent coughing fits, high-pitched “whoop” when inhaling after a coughing fit, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and feeling very tired.
Other symptoms: Sneezing, nasal discharge, red and watery eyes, lips, tongue, and nailbeds may turn blue during coughing spells, and the face may become very red.
Complications: Pneumonia, broken ribs, abdominal hernias, and broken blood vessels in the skin or the whites of your eyes.
Call your doctor if prolonged coughing spells cause you or your child to: vomit, turn red or blue, seem to be struggling to breath or have a noticeable pause in breathing or inhale with a whooping sounce.
Source: Mayo Clinic
