Overview of Whooping Cough
There are several factors about whopping cough that people need to realize:
- This is extremely contagious and the person must be assessed
- It is very several babies who are below the age of 12 months
- There are inoculations against whooping cough, which can help this to be less severe in children
- The cough starts dry and can be very repetitive, it then develops into an intense hacking. There is a ‘whooping’ noise that occurs after each intense coughing fit.
The cases of whooping cough are becoming more frequent. This is due to many people having the inoculation wearing off. - People may also have a runny nose, nausea and a fever.
- Whooping cough takes around 6 to 21 days to start, then it can last as long as six weeks. During this time a person is contagious.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
Minor symptoms occur first, then the more serious symptoms are going to settle in. The initial symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Congestion
- Exasperating cough
- Painful sore throat
- High temperature
- Overall feeling of being ill
- Lung infection
In infants and children, whooping cough can cause the child to whoop to the point that they stop breathing or have trouble catching their breath. There are cases in which whooping cough cause death, but this is very uncommon. Young kids who start coughing may lose their breath and turn blue, but they will start breathing again.
The Risk Factors for Whooping Cough
The cases of whooping cough are becoming more frequent. This is due to many people having the inoculation wearing off. This means that many teens and young adults are becoming at risk for this. Plus, kids are going to be at risk until they have six inoculations.
Treating Kids and Infants
Kids and infants are at a huge risk for whooping cough. The treatment for this often requires that the child be in a hospital, as this can be very serious. In many cases, children are given antibiotics to help them get over this. IV fluids may be utilized if the child is having a hard time in keeping down food or drink due to coughing. For older kids and adults, this can often be treated at home.
Since the illness can make babies so ill, and they can get it from anybody that comes close to them, they require protection. These are the three essential methods you can use to help safeguard them with vaccines:
- If you are expecting, get inoculated with the whooping cough injection near your third trimester.
- Allow your baby with relatives and friends who are vaccinated.
- Make certain your baby is up to date and has all their whooping cough vaccines.
- If you have any other kids, make sure they also up to date with their vaccines.
Related Video On Whooping Cough
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfivia8pgk