What is Whooping Cough
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a contagious bacterial infection. It gets its name from the "whooping" sound a person makes when they breathe in after a severe coughing fit. The "whooping" sound happens as air passes through the swollen and inflamed larynx.
Before vaccines were implemented, whooping cough affected 100,000 people annually in England and Wales and killed between 5,000 and 10,000 in the United States. Since vaccinations began in the 1940s and 1950s, those numbers have dropped significantly, only to rise again in the last few years - mostly in older children and adults whose vaccinations have not been kept up-to-date, and in infants under the age of six months who have not been vaccinated or don't have the full protection of the vaccine.
Whooping cough can be contracted by inhaling airborne droplets expelled by someone with the disease. Because it is so contagious, an unvaccinated person can be at risk of getting it just by being in the room with an infected person. "The incubation period - the time between contracting the infection and the appearance of the main symptoms - can vary from five to 15 days or even longer. Whooping cough is infectious from the first sneezes and through the course of the disease, which can last for up to eight weeks. This is a much longer period than with other children's diseases" (www.netdoctor.co.uk).
Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
A whooping cough infection has three stages. The first stage (catarrhal stage) lasts one or two weeks. During this stage a patient will exhibit symptoms that resemble an upper respiratory infection, such as:
- runny nose
- sneezing
- low-grade fever
- mild, dry cough
The severity of the cough gradually increases into the second stage - paroxysmal stage - where there are bursts or bouts of coughing or several rapid coughs as the lung have difficulty expelling thick mucus from the airways. The frequency of these coughing bursts will increase over the first one or two weeks, then remain consistent for two or three weeks before gradually becoming less frequent.
It is common during an attack for a person to turn blue from lack of oxygen, for bouts to be followed by vomiting, and for the person to feel completely normal in between episodes. Coughing fits happen most frequently at night. On average, a person will experience 15-24 attacks per day.
It is important to note that infants under six months of age may not be strong enough to produce a "whooping" sound when they breathe in, but they will have characteristic coughing bouts.
The third stage is recovering. This period last about two to three weeks as the frequency of the paroxysmal coughing lessens (however, patients may experience paroxysms with any type of respiratory infections in the future).
Treatment can involve antibiotics to target the Bordetella pertussis bacteria, but only if administered early in the onset of the disease. Antibiotics are also effective in preventing the spread of the bacterium to other family members or caregivers.
Unfortunately, many patients aren't diagnosed until the paroxysmal stage.
Some patients will need to be hospitalized, particularly young children and infants who are more susceptible to developing pneumonia, "which occurs in about one in five children under the age of one year who have pertussis. Up to 75 percent of infants younger than six months old with whooping cough will receive hospital treatment. In infants younger than six months of age, whooping cough can even be life-threatening" (http://kidshealth.org).
In the hospital, suctioning may be used to clear out mucus from the airways, and breathing will be monitored.
Treatment at home should not involve cough medicines since they do not address the build up of mucus issue and will not relieve whooping cough spells. After each spell, your child should rest. A cool-mist vaporizer will help loosen mucus and soothe lungs and breathing passages. Refrain from using aerosol sprays, smoking, and using fireplaces and wood-burning stoves.
To get your child to eat, prepare small meals and encourage him or her to drink lots of fluids so he or she does not become dehydrated.
You should seek medical attention for your child if you suspect that your child has whooping cough or has been exposed to someone who has it, even if your child has been properly vaccinated. If treating your child at home, contact your doctor if your child shows any signs of dehydration:
- thirst
- irritability
- restlessness
- lethargy
- sunken eyes
- dry mouth and tongue
- dry skin
- crying without tears
- decreased need to urinate (or, in the case of infants, fewer wet diapers).
(above list from http://kidshealth.org)
Sources: http://kidshealth.org; www.netdoctor.co.uk; www.hc-sc.gc.ca; www.medicinenet.com