Pertussis, Pediatric
Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is an infection that causes severe and sudden coughing attacks. Pertussis can cause serious complications, especially in infants.
Pertussis spreads easily from person to person (is contagious). It spreads through the droplets that are sprayed in the air when an infected person talks, coughs, or sneezes. Your child may not have symptoms until 3 weeks after he or she is exposed to the bacteria that causes pertussis.
What are the causes?
This condition is caused by the
Bordetella pertussis bacteria. The bacteria can spread to your child when he or she:
What increases the risk?
The following factors may make your child more likely to develop this condition:
Being in groups of children at school or preschool.
Being in closed-in public areas.
Your child touching his or her mouth, eyes, or nose without first washing or sanitizing hands.
What are the signs or symptoms?
Symptoms of this condition include:
Cold-like symptoms. These develop at the beginning of the infection and last for 1–2 weeks. Symptoms include a runny nose, low fever, mild cough, diarrhea, and red, watery eyes.
- Severe and sudden coughing attacks, which start 10–14 days into the illness. These coughing attacks may:
Occur frequently and last for up to 2 minutes.
Be triggered by activity in older children and by feeding in infants.
Cause children older than 6 months to gasp or make whooping sounds to get air, and younger infants to briefly stop breathing.
Make the child's skin and lips look blue from too little oxygen.
Cause the child to pass out briefly.
Cause gagging or vomiting.
Leave the child feeling exhausted.
How is this diagnosed?
This condition may be diagnosed by:
How is this treated?
This condition can be treated with antibiotic medicines. Antibiotics may:
Shorten the illness and make it less contagious, if started right away.
Be prescribed for everyone in the household.
Children, especially infants, with severe cases of pertussis may need to stay at the hospital. Mild coughing may continue for months after the infection is treated. This may be due to the remaining soreness and inflammation in the lungs.
Follow these instructions at home:
Medicines
-
Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child's health care provider.
-
Give antibiotic medicine as told by your child's health care provider. Do not stop giving your child the antibiotic even if he or she starts to feel better.
-
Do not give your child cough medicine unless told by your child's health care provider.
-
Do not give your child aspirin because of the association with Reye's syndrome.
If your child has a coughing attack:
-
Sit him or her in an upright position.
-
Use a humidifier at home to increase air moisture. This will soothe your child's cough and help to loosen mucus from your child's lungs (sputum). Do not use steam.
-
Avoid exposing your child to substances that may irritate the lungs, such as smoke, aerosols, and fumes. These may make your child's cough worse.
Prevent the spread of infection
-
For the first 5 days of antibiotic treatment, keep your child away from those who are at risk of developing pertussis.
-
Do not take your child to school or daycare until he or she has been treated with antibiotics for 5 days. Tell your child's school or daycare that your child was diagnosed with pertussis.
-
If no antibiotics are prescribed, keep your child at home for the first 3 weeks that your child is coughing, or as told by your child's health care provider.
-
Have your child and everyone in the household wash hands often to avoid spreading the infection. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
- Immunization may be recommended for those in the household who are at risk of developing pertussis. At-risk groups include:
Infants.
Those who have not had all of their pertussis immunizations. They should check with their health care providers.
Those who were immunized but have not had their recent booster shot. They should check with their health care providers.
General instructions
-
Have your child rest as much as possible. Let your child slowly return to his or her normal activities as told by your child's health care provider.
-
Have your child drink enough fluid to keep his or her urine pale yellow.
-
Have your child eat small, frequent meals instead of three large meals if he or she is vomiting.
-
Watch your child's condition carefully and note any changes.
-
Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.
How is this prevented?
Pertussis can be prevented with a vaccine and later booster shots. Talk with your child's health care provider about the pertussis vaccine.
Contact a health care provider if:
-
Your child cannot stop vomiting.
-
Your child is not able to eat or drink.
-
Your child has a cough that does not improve.
-
Your child has a fever.
-
Your child is restless or cannot sleep.
-
Your child has a coughing spell and the lips or skin turn red or blue.
-
Your child passes out after a coughing spell, even if only for a few moments.
-
Your child has trouble breathing or has periods when breathing quickens, slows, or stops.
-
Your child is acting sluggish or is sleeping too much.
-
Your child is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
-
Your child who is 3 months to 3 years old has a temperature of 102.2°F (39°C) or higher.
- Your child is one year old or younger, and you notice signs of dehydration. These may include:
A sunken soft spot (fontanel) on his or her head.
No wet diapers in 6 hours.
Increased fussiness.
Not making tears while crying
- Your child is one year old or older, and you notice signs of dehydration. These include:
These symptoms may represent a serious problem that is an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.).
Summary
-
Pertussis, also called whooping cough, is an infection that causes severe and sudden coughing attacks.
-
Symptoms include cold-like symptoms and severe coughing.
-
Give medicines, including antibiotics, as told by the health care provider.
-
Contact your child's health care provider if he or she is dehydrated. Get help right away if he or she has trouble breathing or has periods when breathing quickens, slows, or stops.
This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.
