How do you know if your child has whooping cough?

How do you know if your child has whooping cough?

After 1 to 2 weeks and as the disease progresses, the traditional symptoms of pertussis may appear and include: Paroxysms (fits) of many, rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound. Vomiting (throwing up) during or after coughing fits. Exhaustion (very tired) after coughing fits.

How does a child get whooping cough?

It is spread easily by droplets of fluid in the air from coughing and sneezing. It can also be spread by hands that have come in contact with the bacteria. If your child has whooping cough, they will be infectious just before the start of the cough until three weeks after the cough started.

Can whooping cough be cured?

Pertussis can be treated with antibiotics, but treatment may not cure the symptoms. However, antibiotics will reduce the spread of disease to others. Antibiotics lessen the symptoms if given during the early stages of illness.

What can I give my child for whooping cough?

Antibiotics work best if given early in the disease; later they may not make your child get better faster. Antibiotics do help to prevent the spread of infection to others. Anyone who has been in close contact with a child with whooping cough is often given antibiotic medicine.

What is the difference between a cold and whooping cough?

Colds and pertussis begin with similar symptoms, so it’s hard to tell the difference at first. But whooping cough is a highly contagious disease that gets worse after a few weeks, while common colds improve. People develop uncontrollable coughing fits that make it hard to breathe.

What time of year is whooping cough most common?

Although infection can occur throughout the year, be particularly cautious during the summer and fall months when pertussis cases tend to peak. Those who have had an outbreak in their community should be especially vigilant about early symptoms.

How long does whooping cough last in a child?

About whooping cough Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. It causes repeated coughing bouts that can last for two to three months or more, and can make babies and young children in particular very ill.

How long does whooping cough last if untreated?

Whooping cough can last up to 10 weeks and can lead to pneumonia and other complications. The symptoms of whooping cough may look like other medical conditions.