Whooping Cough Is Still a Threat
Immunization can help prevent this serious illness

Pertussis — also known as whooping cough — has made a comeback and can be very serious, even deadly, for the very young. “We’re seeing an increase in teens and adults with pertussis.

Immunity from the vaccine has declined over the years. Although pertussis can cause a prolonged cough illness in older children and adults, the real danger is spreading it to infants,” says Danielle Zerr, MD, Children’s Division of Infectious Disease. “Infants younger than 6 months old are at highest risk for suffering complications from the disease,” she says.

Symptoms
Pertussis starts with cold-like symptoms, mainly a runny nose, says Dr. Zerr. Some children have a mild to modest fever. Cold-like symptoms can last a week or two before severe coughing sets in. Coughing can come and go for weeks. The worst coughing can last two to four weeks with no fever. Coughing spasms can be bad enough to cause vomiting or even break a rib. The “whooping” sound comes as patients gasp for air after a coughing spell, though up to 50 percent of people with pertussis do not have the telltale “whoop.”

Treatment
Antibiotics will kill the pertussis germ and prevent spread of the illness. It’s advised that patients avoid cough suppressants because the cough works to clear mucus and ease breathing.

The best advice for parents:

• Have your child get the shots that help prevent whooping cough on schedule
  — 2, 4, 6 months
  — 15–18 months
  — 4–6 years
• Keep very young children away from folks who are ill and have a bad cough.