WHAT YOU MUST KNOW ABOUT WHOOPING COUGH

According to the Center for Disease Control, whooping cough is a serious disease that can cause babies to stop breathing. Pertussis/whooping cough, is a contagious respiratory disease, caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria attach to the lining of the upper respiratory system, and then release toxins that damage the lining and cause airways to swell. This respiratory illness causes violent coughing making it hard to breathe. Pertussis can affect anyone but can be serious, even deadly, for babies less than one. The best way to protect yourself and your baby is by getting the DTaP (as a child) or the Tdap for adolescents and adults.

Transmission

Pertussis very contagious and can be spread by coughing or sneezing. Many babies become infected with pertussis by infected by older siblings, parents, or caregivers who may not know they have the disease. Infected people are contagious for about 2 weeks after the cough starts. Antibiotics may shorten this amount of time. The  pertussis vaccines are the most effective tool to prevent this disease, however, no vaccine is 100% effective.

How Whooping cough can affect babies with signs and symptoms

Whooping cough is a serious disease that can cause babies to stop breathing. When babies catch whooping cough, it can be very serious. About half of babies under one year old that get whooping cough end up in the hospital, and some even die from the disease.

Pertussis starts like the common cold (runny nose, congestion, sneezing, mild cough and/or fever) however, after 1 to 2 weeks, severe coughing begins. It can cause violent and fast coughing repeatedly, until the air is gone from the lungs and you are forced to inhale making a “whooping” sound. Many babies with whooping cough don't cough but instead stop breathing. When you or your child has a cold with a lengthy or severe cough, it might be whooping cough. If you believe it maybe whooping cough visit your family doctor right away. 

Ways to help protect your baby and the children you are caring for:

There are the three important ways you can help protect your child and children in your care from pertussis.

1. Have your baby interact with family members, babysitters and nannies, who are up-to-date with their whooping cough vaccine.

2. Get your baby vaccinated

            - Children need five doses of DTaP.

1 dose at 2 months old

2 more doses at 4 months and 6 months

with booster shots at 15 through 18 months

and at 4 through 6 years

3. If you are pregnant, get vaccinated in your third trimester

            - A vaccinated mother’s body will create protective antibodies and pass some of them to the baby before birth, providing the baby short-term protection against Pertussis before your baby is able to get vaccinated. These antibodies can also protect your baby more serious complications of Pertussis like pneumonia (disease of the lungs)

and encephalopathy (disease of the brain).

Signs of Whooping Cough.

Source https://www.cdc.gov/pertussis/

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