Whooping Cough (Pertussis): Don't let your child get this dangerous cough!

Has your little one started coughing like a cold, then started coughing really bad, all the time? Does it sometimes make it hard to breathe while coughing, and does it make a strange “whooping” sound when you inhale? This is not a normal cough, it could be a dangerous respiratory infection called “ whooping cough ” in colloquial speech, and medically known as `( Pertussis )`. It is very important to be aware of this, especially if you have small children in your home.

What is whooping cough? Let's understand it simply.

Whooping cough is a highly contagious bacterial infection that affects our throat and respiratory tract. It can affect anyone of any age, but it is especially dangerous for babies and young children. It starts out as a common cold. But after about a week or two, it turns into a severe, unstoppable cough.

This cough does not come on all at once. The cough comes on suddenly, then comes back after a while. Doctors call this coughing attack ``paroxysms``. When this cough comes on, it becomes very difficult to eat, drink, breathe, and even sleep. When the cough is over and you try to take a breath, you hear that high-pitched “whoop” sound coming from the throat. However, small babies can have difficulty breathing without coughing.

Some people call this the “100-day cough.” This is because it can take weeks, even months, for these symptoms to fully resolve.

What are the symptoms of whooping cough? Stage by stage

Whooping cough doesn't get worse all at once. It progresses gradually through three stages. Let's look at what those three stages are.

Be especially careful with little babies!

Symptoms in young babies may be different from those in adults and older children. They may not have a cough at all, but may only have difficulty breathing.

• Does your baby seem to be struggling to breathe?
• Does it seem like your stomach is going in when you breathe?
• Does the skin or lips around the mouth turn blue/gray due to lack of oxygen ? We call this `( cyanosis )`.
• Does breathing stop for a while? (apnea)

How does this disease develop and spread?

Whooping cough is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. This bacteria damages the lining of our airways and causes them to swell. This swelling causes thick mucus to form and causes a severe cough.

This is a highly contagious disease. It is spread through respiratory droplets that are released into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes . Imagine that a child in your child's class has this disease. There is a high chance that your child will also catch it.

Symptoms usually appear between 5 and 10 days after exposure to the virus. However, it can sometimes take up to 21 days. People can spread the disease to others from the day symptoms start until three weeks after the onset of a severe cough.

Complications that can occur due to whooping cough

We said this was not a simple cough because of the dangerous complications it can cause. The risk is especially high for babies under 12 months old.

Who is particularly at risk?

• Babies who have not received the required vaccinations (or whose mother did not receive the vaccinations during pregnancy)
• Children with low immunity
• Children with severe asthma

How does a doctor accurately diagnose this disease?

When you go to see a doctor, he will do these things to properly diagnose this disease:

• Performing a physical examination: A stethoscope is placed on the child's chest, listened to, and a general examination is performed.
• Asking about symptoms: You will be asked about the nature of your cough, its sound, and how long it has been present.
• Testing a mucus sample: A nasopharyngeal swab is taken by inserting a small stick into the nose and sending it to a laboratory to check for the presence of the virus.

Telling the doctor if anyone around you has had whooping cough or a persistent cough will be very helpful in diagnosing the disease.

What are the treatments for whooping cough?

Doctors prescribe antibiotics to treat whooping cough. The most common medications prescribed are Azithromycin and Clarithromycin.

If your child's condition is serious, they may need to be admitted to the hospital for treatment. There, doctors and nurses can monitor the child's breathing, give oxygen if necessary, and give them saline solutions.

It's time to see a doctor!

In the following cases, be sure to take your child to a doctor.

• If the child has not been properly vaccinated against whooping cough.
• If you have been around someone who has whooping cough.
• If the cough is severe, gets worse day by day, or is accompanied by vomiting.
• If you have a cough and fever.
• If you can't keep milk, formula, or food down.

If you have these symptoms, go to the hospital immediately!

Things you can do at home to get relief

While taking the medication prescribed by the doctor, you can get some relief by doing these things at home.

• Give some honey: Honey can help relieve a cough. But never give honey to babies under one year old! (It can cause a dangerous condition called `(botulism)`).
• Get plenty of rest: Rest is essential for the body to heal.
• Drink plenty of fluids: Drinking things like water and soup will thin out thick mucus and make it easier to cough up.
• Use a cool-mist humidifier: This helps loosen mucus by increasing the humidity in the room.
• Feed in small amounts: Feeding in small amounts rather than one large meal at a time can help reduce vomiting.
• Stay away from things that trigger coughing: Dust, smoke, and harsh chemicals (like some cleaning products) can increase coughing.

How can you protect yourself from whooping cough?

Vaccination is the best and only way to protect yourself from this dangerous disease.

• The `(DTaP)` vaccine given to young children.
• The `(Tdap)` vaccine is given to young people, pregnant mothers, and adults.

These vaccines reduce the risk of getting the disease and, if you do get the disease, they can greatly reduce its severity and complications. However, the longer you get the vaccine, the less immunity you will have. So talk to your doctor about the vaccination schedule for you and your child.

In some cases, if you are exposed to someone with the disease, your doctor may prescribe prophylactic antibiotics as a preventative measure, even before symptoms appear.

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