Whooping cough

Whooping cough | NHS inform Home Illnesses and conditions Symptoms and self-help Tests and treatments Healthy living Care, support and rights Scotlands Service Directory 0 Home Illnesses and conditions Infections and poisoning Whooping cough Whooping cough Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a highly contagious bacterial infection of the lungs and airways. It causes repeatedcoughing bouts that can last for 2 to 3months or more, and can make babies and young children in particular very ill. Whooping cough is spread inthe dropletsof the coughs or sneezes of someone with the infection. Symptoms of whooping cough The first symptomsof whooping cough aresimilar to those of a cold , such asa runny nose,red and watery eyes,a sore throat, anda slightly raised temperature. Intensecoughing bouts start about a week later. The boutsusually last a few minutes at a time and tend to be more common at night. Coughing usually brings up thickmucus and may be followed by vomiting. Between coughs, you or your child may gasp for breath thismay cause a whoop sound,although not everyone has this. The strain of coughing cancause thefaceto become very red, and there may be some slight bleeding under the skin or inthe eyes. Young children can sometimes brieflyturn blue (cyanosis)if they have trouble breathingthis often looks worse than it is and their breathing shouldstart againquickly. In very young babies, the cough may not be particularly noticeable, but there may be brief periods where they stop breathing. The bouts will eventually start to become less severe and less frequent over time,but it may be afewmonths before they stop completely. Whos at risk of whooping cough Whooping cough can affect people of any age, including: babies and young children young babies under 6 months of age are at a particularly increased risk ofcomplications of whooping cough older children and adults  it tends to be less serious in these cases, but can still be unpleasant andfrustrating people whove had whooping cough before  youre not immune to whooping coughif youve had it before, although it tends to be less severe the second time around people vaccinated against whooping cough as a child  protection from thewhooping cough vaccine tends to wear off after a few years You can get whooping cough if you come into close contact with someone with the infection. A person with whooping cough is infectious from about 6 days after they were infected when they just have cold-like symptoms until three weeks after the coughing bouts start. Antibiotic treatment can reduce the length of time someone is infectious. When to get medical advice Phone 999 or go to A&E if: You or your child: have significant breathing difficulties, such as long periods of breathlessness or choking, shallow breathing, periods where breathing stops, or dusky, blue skin develop signs of seriouscomplications of whooping cough, such as fits (seizures) or pneumonia Speak to your GP practice or phone 111 if: You or your child: have symptoms ofwhooping cough have had a cough for more than 3 weeks have a cough that is particularly severe or is getting worse Treatment for whooping cough Treatment for whooping cough depends on your ageand how long youve had the infection. Children under 6 months who are very ill and people with severe symptoms will usually be admitted to hospital for treatment. Peoplediagnosed during the first 3 weeks of infection may be prescribed antibiotics to take at home. These will help stop the infection spreading to others, but may not reducethe symptoms. People whove had whooping cough for more than 3 weeks wont normally need any specific treatment, as theyre no longer contagious and antibiotics are unlikelytohelp. While youre recovering at home, it can help to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids, clean away mucus and sick fromyour or your childs mouth, and take painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen for a fever. Avoid using cough medicines, as theyre not suitable for young children and are unlikely to be of much help. Stopping the infection spreading If you or your child are taking antibiotics for whooping cough, you need to be careful not to spread the infection to others. Do stay away from nursery, school or work until 2 days after the start of antibiotic treatment or, if not taking antibiotics 3 weeks from when the coughing bouts started cover your or your childs mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing dispose of used tissues immediately wash your and your childs hands regularly with soap and water Other members of your household may also be given antibiotics and adose of the whooping cough vaccine to stop them becoming infected. Vaccinations for whooping cough There are 3 routine vaccinations that can protect babies and children from whooping cough: the whooping cough vaccine in pregnancy this can protect your baby during the first few weeks of life;the best time to have it is soon after the 16th week of your pregnancy the 6-in-1 vaccineoffered to babies at 8,12 and 16 weeks of age the 4-in-1 pre-school booster offered to childrenby3 years and 4 months These vaccines dont offer lifelong protection from whooping cough, but they can help stopchildren getting it when theyre young and more vulnerable to the effects of the infection. Older children and adults arent routinely vaccinated, except during pregnancy or a whooping cough outbreak. Complications of whooping cough Babies and young children under 6 months are usually most severely affected by whooping cough. Theyre at anincreased risk of: dehydration breathing difficulties weight loss pneumonia  an infection of the lungs fits (seizures) kidney problems brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen reachingthe brain death although this is very rare Older children and adults tend to be less severely affected, although they may experience problems caused by repeated coughing, such as nosebleeds , bruised ribs or ahernia. Source: NHS 24 - Opens in new browser window Last updated: 04 December 2023 How can we improve this page? Help us improve NHS inform Thank You Your feedback has been received Dont include personal information e.g. name, location or any personal health conditions. 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