Health Department Link:  Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Symptoms

Early symptoms can last for 1 to 2 weeks and usually include:

• Runny nose
• Low-grade fever (generally minimal throughout the course of the disease)
• Mild, occasional cough
• Apnea – a pause in breathing (in infants)

As the disease progresses, the traditional symptoms of pertussis appear and include:

• Paroxysms (fits) of many, rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched "whoop"
• Vomiting (throwing up)
• Exhaustion (very tired) after coughing fits

Recommendations:

• If you have the symptoms described above, please contact your health care provider.
• Babies under one year of age are most likely to have severe illness. When possible, babies should be kept away from people with a cough. Any baby with a coughing illness should be seen by their doctor as soon as possible.
• If you have children less than 7 years of age who have not been completely vaccinated for Pertussis (with DTP or DTaP) (particularly babies under one year of age), talk to your child’s doctor about the benefits of vaccination.
• For those 11 years of age and older, if it has been 5 years since your last Tetanus booster, you can receive the Tdap, (Tetanus, Diptheria & Pertussis).

Disclaimer
Nurse's Corner does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website, such as text, graphics, images and other material are intended for informational and educational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition.