Pertussis, highly contagious bacterial illness

Ellen says: One of the common challenges among parents around the world is helping their children cope with the various illnesses that are so much a part of their early years.

In a society where vaccines are abundant and environmental conditions are far better than they were as little as a hundred years ago, these same maladies persist. Let’s face it – regardless of inoculations, most kids will contract one or more illnesses that seem to be intrinsic to childhood. If your child should suddenly exhibit symptoms, you’ll need to recognize them and seek the necessary medical attention.

A whooping cough is an infection of the respiratory system, also known as Pertussis, can be recognized by a severe coughing episode, ending in a characteristic “whooping” sound when the individual inhales. Before the development of its vaccine, this illness caused approximately 10,000 deaths in the United States each year, which has been reduced to a mortality rate of less than 30 today.

If unimmunized, Whooping Cough can target anyone, but is most common in children who have not received the proper vaccination and in infants under one year of age. There are two stages of symptoms, beginning with a low grade fever, sneezing, runny nose and a mild cough. If left untreated, the illness will progress to the second stage, which involves a dry, irritating cough that escalates into a coughing spell. During this time, the child may turn red or purple, and may even vomit in between coughing episodes. It is at this stage that you’ll hear the “whooping” sound when the child inhales at the end of the episode.

This highly contagious bacterial illness can be spread through fluid from an infected person’s nose or mouth, such as during laughing, coughing or sneezing. The most infectious period is up to two weeks after the coughing begins, and must be treated with antibiotics in order to combat the illness. Incubation is from 7 to 21 days and can last for six weeks or longer.