hamburgerIcon

Orders

login

Profile

STORE
Profile
Mylo Joyful DaysSkin Care
Skin Brightening
Anti Ageing
Skin Hydration
Acne and Blemishes
Dry and Dull Skin
Dark Circles
Skin Care Super Saver Combos
Hair Care
Hairfall
Dry and Damaged Hair
Hair Growth
Super Saver Combos
Preg & Moms
Boost Breast Milk Supply
Breast Pump
Fertility
Stretch Marks Care
Maternity Wear
Maternity Gear
Baby Care
Diapers & WipesBaby DiapersCloth DiapersBaby WipesSuper Saver Combos
Baby WellnessDiaper Rash Mosquito Repellent Anti-ColicSuper Saver Combo
Baby CareSkinHairBath & BodySuper Saver Combos
Feeding & LactationFeeding BottleSipperBreast PumpTeethers & NibblersGrooved NippleNursing PadsSuper Saver Combos
Baby ClothingLaundry DetergentBaby TowelCap, Mittens & BootiesSocksWrappersWinter Clothing
Baby GearCarriersStrollersDiaper BagBathtubs and Potty Seat Carry NestDry SheetBaby Pillow
Diapers
Baby Diapers
Cloth Diapers
Baby Wipes
Super Saver Combos
More
Bath & BodyBody MoistureBrighteningTan Removal
FertilityFertility For HerFertility For HimPCOSPregnancy Test KitOvulation Test Kit Super Saver Combos
HygieneUTI and Infection
WeightWeight ManagementDigestive HealthSuper Saver Combos
Daily WellnessDigestive Health
This changing weather, protect your family with big discounts! Use code: FIRST10This changing weather, protect your family with big discounts! Use code: FIRST10
ADDED TO CART SUCCESSFULLY GO TO CART
  • Home arrow
  • Cold & Cough arrow
  • Whooping Cough: Symptoms, Risks & Prevention  arrow

In this Article

    Whooping Cough: Symptoms, Risks & Prevention 

    Cold & Cough

    Whooping Cough: Symptoms, Risks & Prevention 

    Updated on 3 November 2023

    Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is an extremely contagious infection of the respiratory tract. The condition is characterized by a severe hacking cough along with a high-pitched breath intake sounding like “whoop”. Before the development of the vaccine, whooping cough was a common childhood disease. However, now it primarily affects children who have not yet received vaccination for it or adults and teenagers with faded immunity from the vaccine.

    Though whooping cough is not considered a fatal disease, it usually occurs in infants. Therefore, it is essential for pregnant women and people in close contact with infants to get themselves vaccinated against whooping cough.

    Symptoms of whooping cough

    If you are infected with whooping cough, it would usually take around 7-10 days for the whooping cough symptoms to appear, sometimes even longer. In most cases, symptoms are mild in the beginning and appear similar to the common cold.

    Early whooping cough symptoms include:

    · Nasal congestion

    · Runny nose

    · Fever

    · Cough

    · Red and watery eyes

    After a couple of weeks, the symptoms get much worse. Thick mucus accumulates in the airways and leads to uncontrollable coughing. Prolonged bouts of severe coughing can lead to:

    · Vomiting

    · Extreme fatigue

    · Blue or red face

    · A high-pitched ‘whoop’ sound when you breathe next after coughing

    However, keep in mind that not everyone develops the ‘whoop’ sound while breathing. In many cases, persistent coughing is the only sign of whooping cough, especially in adults and adolescents.

    Reasons to visit a doctor

    It is important to consult a doctor if you or your child has been experiencing prolonger coughing spells that are leading to:

    · Vomiting

    · Inhaling with a high-pictured whooping sound

    · Turning blue or red

    · Struggling to breathe and experiencing noticeable pauses between breaths

    Risk factors of Whooping Cough

    We all receive vaccines for whooping cough during our childhood. However, the efficacy of this vaccine eventually wears off. As a result, most teenagers as well as adults are left susceptible to infection in case of an outbreak. Besides this, infants below 12 months of age who have not been vaccinated or have not received the full dose of recommended vaccinations are at the greatest risk of suffering from complications and even death from whooping cough.

    Complications related to Whooping Cough

    Adults and teenagers are usually able to recover from pertussis without any problems. However, in case of complications, there may be a ton of side effects due to persistent and strenuous coughing. These include:

    · Abdominal hernias

    · Cracked or bruised ribs

    · Broken blood vessels in the whites or skin of the eyes

    In the case of infants, particularly below the age of 6 months, complications related to whooping cough tend to be more severe and include:

    · Pneumonia

    · Seizures

    · Slow or stopped breathing

    · Brain damage

    · Dehydration or weight loss

    Since toddlers and infants are at the highest risk of suffering from whooping cough complications, they are more likely to require hospitalization. In younger infants, the complications can even be life-threatening.

    Prevention of Whooping Cough

    The only and most effective way to prevent whooping cough is to take the pertussis vaccine. This vaccine is given in combination with vaccines for two other serious diseases – tetanus and diphtheria. Doctors around the world recommend vaccines to infants to keep them away from serious diseases. The pertussis vaccine is given with a series of 5 injections, given at different ages including 2 months, and 4 months, followed by vaccines at 6 months, 18 months, and finally 4-6 years of age.

    Side Effects of Vaccines

    The most common side effect of the vaccine is mild fever, headache, crankiness, soreness at the injection site, and fatigue.

    Booster shots

    Your doctor may recommend booster shots for pertussis medications in the following cases:

    • Adolescents

    Since the immunity due to the vaccine wanes off around age 11, your doctor may recommend taking a booster shot around this age to keep your child protected against tetanus, diphtheria, as well as whooping cough.

    • Adults

    In adults, doctors advise taking vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis every 10 years. This vaccine also reduces the risk of you spread whooping cough to infants around you.

    Pregnant women: Many doctors recommend pregnant women take pertussis vaccines between weeks 27 and 36 of gestation to keep the infant protected during the first few months of their lives.

    Preventive medications

    If you have been in contact with someone suffering from whooping cough, your doctor may recommend you take a course of antibiotics to keep you protected. Preventative medications may also be recommended in case you are:

    · Pregnant

    · A healthcare provider

    · Below 12 months of age

    · Having a health condition that puts you at a higher risk of complications, like asthma or a weak immune system

    · Living with someone with pertussis

    · Living with someone at a higher risk of whooping cough infection.

    Reference Links

    Mayo Clinic Staff. Feb. 11, 2022. Whooping cough

    Centre for Disease Control and Prevention team.August 8, 2022. Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

    Is this helpful?

    thumbs_upYes

    thumb_downNo

    Written by

    Madhavi Gupta

    Dr. Madhavi Gupta is an accomplished Ayurvedic doctor specializing in Medical content writing with an experience of over 10 years.

    Read More

    Get baby's diet chart, and growth tips

    Download Mylo today!
    Download Mylo App

    Related Questions

    • Influenza and boostrix injection kisiko laga hai kya 8 month pregnancy me and q lagta hai ye plz reply me

      arrow
    • Hai.... My last period was in feb 24. I tested in 40 th day morning 3:30 .. That is faint line .. I conculed mylo thz app also.... And I asked tha dr wait for 3 to 5 days ... Im also waiting ... Then I test today 4:15 test is sooooo faint ... And I feel in ma body no pregnancy symptoms. What can I do .

      arrow
    • Baby kicks KB Marta hai Plz tell mi

      arrow
    • PCOD kya hota hai

      arrow
    • How to detect pcos

      arrow

    RECENTLY PUBLISHED ARTICLES

    our most recent articles

    Image related to Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āφāϞ⧁āĻŦā§‹āĻ–āϰāĻž: āωāĻĒāĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŋāϤāĻž āĻ“ āĻā§āρāĻ•āĻŋ | Prunes During Pregnancy: Benefits & Risks in Bengali

    Image related to Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻšāĻŋāĻ‚ | āĻā§āρāĻ•āĻŋ, āϏ⧁āĻŦāĻŋāϧāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϝ āϚāĻŋāĻ•āĻŋā§ŽāϏāĻž | Hing During Pregnancy | Risks, Benefits & Other Treatments in Bengali

    Image related to Women Specific Issues

    Women Specific Issues

    āĻ¸ā§āϤāύ⧇āϰ āωāĻĒāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĻāĻž āĻĻāĻžāĻ—: āϞāĻ•ā§āώāĻŖ, āĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŖ āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āϚāĻŋāĻ•āĻŋā§ŽāϏāĻž | White Spots on Nipple: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments in Bengali

    Image related to Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻĒā§‹āĻšāĻž: āωāĻĒāĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŋāϤāĻž, āϧāϰāĻŖ āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āϰ⧇āϏāĻŋāĻĒāĻŋ | Poha During Pregnancy: Benefits, Types & Recipes in Bengali

    Image related to Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻŽāĻžāĻ›: āωāĻĒāĻ•āĻžāϰāĻŋāϤāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āĻā§āρāĻ•āĻŋ | Fish In Pregnancy: Benefits and Risks in Bengali

    Image related to Diet & Nutrition

    Diet & Nutrition

    āĻ—āĻ°ā§āĻ­āĻžāĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧ āϰ⧇āĻĄ āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāχāύ: āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§āĻļā§āĻŦ āĻĒā§āϰāϤāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧāĻž āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āύāĻŋāĻ°ā§āĻĻ⧇āĻļāĻŋāĻ•āĻž | Red Wine During Pregnancy: Side Effects & Guidelines in Bengali

    foot top wavefoot down wave

    AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

    Awards

    Mylo wins Forbes D2C Disruptor award

    Awards

    Mylo wins The Economic Times Promising Brands 2022

    AS SEEN IN

    Mylo Logo

    Start Exploring

    wavewave
    About Us
    Mylo_logo
    At Mylo, we help young parents raise happy and healthy families with our innovative new-age solutions:
    • Mylo Care: Effective and science-backed personal care and wellness solutions for a joyful you.
    • Mylo Baby: Science-backed, gentle and effective personal care & hygiene range for your little one.
    • Mylo Community: Trusted and empathetic community of 10mn+ parents and experts.