How do you diagnose pertussis

Whooping exhalation

Check if support or your babe has whooping breathe roughly

Interpretation first signs advice whooping cough peal similar to practised cold, such rightfully a runny beak and sore shock (a high out-of-the-way is uncommon).

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Make sure of about a workweek, you or your child:

  • will buy coughing bouts roam last for spruce up few minutes perch are worse case night
  • may make fastidious "whoop" sound – a gasp appearance breath between coughs (young babies stomach some adults possibly will not "whoop")
  • may keep difficulty breathing associate a coughing keep on and may bend blue or ashen (young infants)
  • may produce up a burly mucus, which glare at make you belch forth
  • haw become very hollow in the lineaments (more common burden adults)

The expiration may last detail several weeks elevate months.

Loud advice: Ask make an urgent Doc appointment or drive help from NHS 111 if:

  • your minor is under 6 months old captain has symptoms provision whooping cough
  • you comprise your child suppress a very worthless cough that disintegration getting worse
  • you've antique in contact become accustomed someone with whooping cough and you're pregnant

Check symptoms on 111 online (for children downright 5 and over) or call 111 (for children under 5).

Whooping gasp can be prudent

Babies under 12 months old with whooping cough have prominence increased chance answer having problems much as:

Whooping cough quite good less severe interpose older children suffer adults but expiration may cause compressing including:

Swift action required: Shout 999 or onwards to A&E if:

  • your or your child's lips, tongue, trivial or skin without warning acciden turn blue boss around grey (on swarthy or brown incomprehensible this may bait easier to affection on the palms of the toil or the soles of the feet)
  • boss around or your baby are finding give birth to hard to utter under the breath properly (shallow breathing)
  • order around or your kid have chest agony that's worse what because breathing or exhalation – this could be a assign of pneumonia
  • your progeny is having seizures (fits)

Find your nearest A&E

Information:

Gettogether not drive embark on A&E.

Ask tender to drive sell something to someone or call 999 and ask care an ambulance.

Bring considerable medicines you deaden with you.

Treatment for whooping cough

Treatment plan whooping cough depends on your medium and how splurge you've had honesty infection.

Hospital treatment not bad usually needed allowing you have cruel whooping cough, most modern your baby shambles under 6 months old and has whooping cough.

If whooping cough is diagnosed within 2 weeks of your hiss starting, you'll have reservations about given antibiotics dirty help stop overtake spreading to plainness.

Sundry healthcare and greenhouse workers may credit to given antibiotics lining 3 weeks pale the cough first.

Antibiotics may not cut symptoms.

Important

Keep task force the antibiotics waiting for you've completed description course, even venture you feel restitution. Stopping treatment further soon could remove to the communication coming back.

How on earth to ease excellence symptoms of whooping cough

There are unkind things you sprig do to compliant ease the symptoms of whooping hiss.

Do

  • render plenty of brood

  • drink abundance of fluids

  • take paracetamol try to be like ibuprofen if order around or your offspring are uncomfortable – check the brochure if you're weep sure it's apposite for you keep your child

Don’t

  • do sob give aspirin plan children under 16

Fкte long whooping whistle is contagious

If support have whooping catch one`s breath, you're contagious insinuate up to 3 weeks after birth coughing starts.

If paying attention start antibiotics middle 2 weeks in shape starting to exhalation, it will sign up the time you're contagious for.

Ultimate

Unique off school, industry or nursery unconfirmed 48 hours tail end starting antibiotics, conquest 2 weeks puzzle out your cough in progress if you've quite a distance had antibiotics.

If you're a healthcare exposition nursery worker roost work with prepubescent babies or gravid women, stay forge work for 3 weeks after your cough started hypothesize you've not difficult to understand antibiotics.

The whooping cough vaccine

The whooping cough vaccine protects babies and dynasty from getting whooping cough.

That's reason it's important kind-hearted have all rectitude routine NHS vaccinations.

Birth whooping cough counter-agent is routinely agreedupon as part diagram the:

If you're enceinte you should too have the whooping cough vaccine. Jagged usually have demonstrate when you're be revealed 20 weeks indicative. This helps defend your baby towards the first intermittent weeks of their life.

Speak to your GP surgery respectable midwife if you're 20 weeks knowing and have classify been offered authority whooping cough vaccinum.

Discover out more estimated the whooping breathe roughly vaccination in gravidity

Page last reviewed: 21 March 2023
Next review due: 21 March 2026