Pertussis In Children

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

Pertussis is a serious infection of the nose, throat, and lungs. It is also called whooping cough. With pertussis, air passages get plugged with thick sputum (spit), which causes coughing spells. Anyone can have pertussis, but it is most serious in babies and young children. It may be treated with antibiotic medicine during the early part of the illness. Pertussis can be prevented with DTaP and Tdap shots.

AFTER YOU LEAVE:

• Take your medicine as directed: Call your primary healthcare provider if you think your medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if you are allergic to any medicine. Keep a current list of the medicines, vitamins, and herbs you take. Include the amounts, and when, how, and why you take them. Take the list or the pill bottles to follow-up visits. Carry your medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists.
  
  
• Give your child's medicine as directed: Call your child's primary healthcare provider if you think the medicine is not working as expected. Tell him if your child is allergic to any medicine. Ask before you change or stop giving your child his medicines.
  
  
• Antibiotics: This medicine is given to help prevent or treat an infection caused by bacteria.
  
  
• Do not give aspirin to children under 18 years of age: Your child could develop Reye syndrome if he takes aspirin. Reye syndrome can cause life-threatening brain and liver damage. Check your child's medicine labels for aspirin, salicylates, or oil of wintergreen.
  
  
• Keep a current list of your child's medicines: Include the amounts, and when, how, and why they are taken. Bring the list and the medicines in their containers to follow-up visits. Carry your child's medicine list with you in case of an emergency. Throw away old medicine lists. Give vitamins, herbs, or food supplements only as directed.
  
  
• Your child's cough could last 10 weeks or longer. It may also be worse at night. Coughing helps keep sputum (spit) from clogging the lungs.
  
  
• Do the following if your child has a coughing spell:
  
  
  • Put him on his side in the crib or bed with his head to one side. This is a safe position because it will keep your child from choking if he vomits (throws up). You may also hold your child in a sitting position during a coughing spell.
    
    
  • Help your coughing child sit up and lean forward if he is older. This makes it easier to cough and bring up sputum from the lungs.
  
  
• Run a cool mist humidifier to increase air moisture in your child's room. Follow the humidifier instructions carefully for running and cleaning it. Keep the humidifier out of your child's reach. Using the humidifier will help ease your child's cough and make it easier for your child to breathe.
  
  
• Ask caregivers how much liquid your child should drink a day. Give him small amounts of liquids every hour, if possible, when he is awake, even if he has throat pain.
  
  
• Encourage your child to eat many small meals every day. Eating small meals may keep your child from vomiting after a coughing spell. To calm the stomach, wait a short while to eat after a coughing spell.
  
  
• Your child should rest as much as possible. Try to keep him calm. His breathing and coughing may become worse if he is crying and afraid.
  
  
• Ear infections in children are common with this illness. Signs of an ear infection are ear tugging, ear pain, or fever.
  
  
• Do not let anyone smoke around your child. His breathing and coughing may get worse if he is near smoke.
  
  
• Keep your child away from wood burning stoves or fireplaces. Smoke from these may also cause coughing spells.

CONTACT A CAREGIVER IF:

• Your child has a fever.
  
  
• Your child is not drinking liquids.
  
  
• Your child's cough is getting worse.
  
  
• Your child is tugging his ears or has ear pain.
  
  
• Your child has been vomiting (throwing up) and cannot keep anything down.
  
  
• Your child is not sleeping or resting because of the cough.
  
  
• Your child has the following signs of dehydration:
  
  
  • Crying without tears
    
    
  • Dizziness
    
    
  • Dry or cracked lips
    
    
  • Dry mouth or tongue
    
    
  • Fussiness
    
    
  • Sleepiness
    
    
  • Sunken soft spot on the top of his head (if your baby is less than 1 year old)
    
    
  • Urinating less
    
    
  • Wrinkled skin

SEEK CARE IMMEDIATELY IF:

Call 911 if your child has trouble breathing. Following are some signs that your child is not getting enough oxygen:

• Skin between ribs or above breast bone is sucked in with each breath
  
  
• Lips or fingernails are blue or white
  
  
• Nostrils (nose openings) are flaring (opening wider) with each breath
  
  
• Breathing faster than usual

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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