Main
- Whooping cough is an acute respiratory infection: it is transmitted by airborne droplets and is especially dangerous for infants and young children.
- Paroxysmal cough: it comes in series of thrusts, worsens at night, and between attacks the person feels almost well.
- Whooping inspiration and reddening of the face: they occur during an attack; after coughing, vomiting is possible due to severe straining.
- Examination: doctor's examination, history taking, nasopharyngeal swab in the early stages of the disease, blood test if the results are doubtful.
- The condition is managed by a paediatrician or an infectious disease specialist: if breathing stops, cyanosis and pronounced weakness occur, an ambulance must be called immediately.
What is whooping cough
Whooping cough is an infectious disease of the respiratory tract that is caused by a bacterium and manifests as a prolonged paroxysmal cough. It is especially dangerous for small children, so timely diagnosis and medical supervision are important.
What happens in the body
Whooping cough begins when the bacterium enters the human respiratory tract. The causative agent attaches to the cells of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and releases substances that irritate them. This causes inflammation, and mucus accumulates in the lumen of the bronchi and interferes with free breathing. The body responds to the irritation with bouts of coughing that follow one after another and are poorly controlled. Between bouts, a person may feel almost well, but the cough returns again and again. This condition can last for weeks and greatly exhausts both the patient and their loved ones. When a prolonged paroxysmal cough appears, it is important to show the child to a doctor as early as possible.
What causes it to develop
- Airborne transmission: the bacterium is released when a sick person coughs or sneezes and enters the respiratory tract of those around them.
- Contact with a person with whooping cough: close communication with someone who is ill increases the risk of infection, especially in a family or in a closed group.
- Lack of vaccination against whooping cough: unvaccinated children and adults remain susceptible to the causative agent and are more easily infected when they encounter it.
- Being in crowded places: kindergartens, schools and other crowded premises accelerate the spread of infection among those around.
- Weakened immunity: when the body's defences are reduced, infection occurs faster, and the condition may be more severe.
Who encounters this more often
Whooping cough is most common in small children who have not yet received the vaccine or have not completed its course. At this age, the respiratory tract is narrow, so bouts of coughing are harder to endure and require special attention from adults. Unvaccinated children attending kindergartens and schools are infected more often because they are constantly in close contact with each other. Adults can also become ill, especially if their defences are weakened or the vaccination was given long ago. An adult often endures the disease more easily and may not suspect that they are a source of infection for a child. People with weakened immunity and those who spend a lot of time in crowded places are also at risk. If there is a small child in the family, it is worth checking with a doctor in advance on how to protect them from infection.
What symptoms can occur?
Whooping cough starts with the signs of an ordinary cold, so it is rarely recognised straight away. Below is a description of how the condition changes day by day and in which cases help is needed without delay.
How it is noticed at the very beginning
In the first days whooping cough is almost indistinguishable from a mild cold: a runny nose appears and the temperature rises moderately. The person feels tired, puts the malaise down to overwork and carries on with the illness on their feet. The cough during this period is dry and infrequent, it does not interfere with work or sleep, so it is rarely taken seriously. Gradually the attacks become longer and recur more and more often, especially at night. During an attack the face turns red, tears run from the eyes, and after the cough a whooping intake of breath is heard. Such attacks are exhausting, the child becomes listless, sleep is disturbed, and vomiting after coughing may appear. If the cough has become paroxysmal, it is not worth putting off a visit to a paediatrician or an infectious disease specialist.
Signs that occur most often
- Runny nose and moderate temperature: persist at the beginning of the illness and are easily mistaken for an ordinary cold, which is why the onset of whooping cough is missed.
- Paroxysmal cough: comes in series of thrusts, worsens at night and interferes with sleep, while between attacks the person feels almost well.
- Whooping intake of breath: occurs after a coughing attack, when air passes with difficulty through the narrowed airways.
- Reddening of the face or blueness: appear during coughing because of strain and lack of air, this is a noticeable sign of a severe attack.
- Vomiting after an attack: occurs because of severe strain when coughing and indicates that the attacks have become pronounced.
- Fatigue and disturbed sleep: accumulate because of frequent night attacks, and it is by this sign that parents most often notice that the problem is not a cold.
When to seek help urgently
Examinations and tests
Examination for whooping cough is based on history-taking, physical examination and laboratory confirmation of the causative agent. Early diagnosis helps to start treatment in time and limit the spread of infection.
How the examination begins
The examination begins with a doctor's examination and history-taking, and this is the first step towards understanding the cause of a prolonged cough. The doctor asks in detail about how long ago the cough appeared, how it changed and whether there were attacks with difficulty breathing in. It is also clarified separately whether the patient has been in contact with people with similar symptoms and whether anyone in their environment has been ill. The doctor examines the patient, paying attention to the nature of breathing and the general condition during a coughing attack. The information gathered makes it possible to understand how much the picture resembles whooping cough and which investigations are needed next. At this stage it is important to tell about vaccinations and about when the first signs of the illness appeared. Only after such a conversation and examination does the doctor decide on further investigations.
What is prescribed and what it shows
What is worth preparing for the appointment
- Extracts from medical documents: they help the doctor to see how the illness developed before the visit and not to lose important details.
- Results of previous tests: if a swab or blood test has already been taken, these data clarify the picture and save from unnecessary repeats.
- Records of vaccinations: information about vaccinations is important because it influences how the doctor assesses the likelihood of whooping cough.
- A calendar of symptoms: note when the cough appeared and how it changed by day, so as not to forget anything at the appointment.
- A list of questions: formulate in advance what you want to clarify with the doctor, so that the conversation is calm and complete.
Which doctor should I see?
For whooping cough, care is provided by a paediatrician, and if necessary an infectious disease specialist is involved. Below — who manages the condition, what treatment consists of, and what depends on the patient themselves.
Which specialist manages this condition
Whooping cough in a child is managed by a paediatrician, and in severe or unclear cases an infectious disease specialist is involved in observation. The paediatrician examines the child, assesses the nature of the cough and the general condition, and monitors breathing and wellbeing between visits. An infectious disease specialist is needed when the course is prolonged, the condition worsens, or the approach to care in hospital needs to be clarified. If a specialist is not available nearby, start with a paediatrician at your place of residence: they will determine whether a consultation with an infectious disease specialist is needed. At the first appointment, the doctor asks about the onset and duration of the cough, about the attacks, and about how the child eats and sleeps. They also clarify whether there have been vaccinations and contacts with sick people, and examine the airways. Based on the examination, the doctor decides whether to treat at home or refer to hospital, and explains what to monitor at home. Write down when coughing attacks occur and what precedes them — these notes noticeably help the doctor at the appointment.
What treatment consists of
- Selection of antibacterial therapy: the doctor selects it taking into account age and severity of the condition, in order to affect the causative agent and the course of the disease.
- Monitoring of the condition and breathing: the doctor monitors the frequency and nature of coughing attacks, in order to notice deterioration in time and adjust care.
- Plenty of fluids: a sufficient amount of liquid helps to cope with coughing attacks and supports the child's general condition during the illness.
- Humidifying the air: moist air in the room eases breathing and reduces irritation of the airways during coughing attacks.
- Hospitalisation in severe cases: in severe forms and in small children, care is provided in hospital, where constant observation is possible.
What depends on the patient themselves
The regularity of observation by the doctor largely determines how the illness will proceed and whether complications will arise. It is important for parents to attend the scheduled appointments and to inform the doctor of all changes: worsening of attacks, poor sleep, refusal of food and drink. At home, it is worth writing down when coughing attacks occur, how long they last, and what happens after them — such notes help the doctor assess the course more accurately. One must not interrupt care on one's own, even if the condition has temporarily improved: incomplete following of the doctor's recommendations leads to a prolonged course and the return of attacks. Monitor drinking and air humidity in the room where the child is, and do not leave them alone during an attack. If the condition worsens, breathing becomes difficult, or new complaints appear, contact the doctor without waiting for the next appointment. Calm and consistent following of the doctor's recommendations helps to get through treatment without unnecessary complications.
What helps prevent an exacerbation?
Preventing an exacerbation of whooping cough is helped not only by treatment, but also by the person's own everyday decisions. Below is an analysis of which habits are worth changing, what is important to monitor, and why regular medical supervision is needed.
What is changed in habits
Avoiding contact with people ill with whooping cough reduces the risk of reinfection and of spreading the infection among close contacts. If someone in the family is coughing, it is worth temporarily limiting close contact, using separate dishes and airing the rooms more often. Following the rules of personal hygiene, including washing hands after being outside and before eating, reduces the transfer of the pathogen through hands and objects. Isolating the sick person until the end of the contagious period protects the other household members, especially children and people with weakened health. Vaccination according to the immunisation schedule remains the main preventive measure, and its timing is best not shifted without reason. If a family member develops a cough, it is reasonable to give them a separate sleeping place and limit their access to shared areas. Such household measures do not replace the treatment prescribed by the doctor, but they noticeably reduce the burden on the body and the risk of complications.
What is worth keeping under control
- Well-being: it is important to monitor the general condition and the onset of weakness in order to notice deterioration in time.
- Nature of the cough: a change in its frequency and the duration of attacks helps to understand how the condition is progressing.
- Breathing: laboured or noisy breathing requires attention and is a reason to consult a doctor.
- Body temperature: its rise against the background of a cough is worth recording and reporting to a specialist.
- Contacts with sick people: information about recent contact helps to assess the risk of infection for close contacts.
- Timing of vaccinations: checking against the immunisation schedule will indicate when the next vaccination is needed.
How often to see a doctor
A regular examination by a doctor is needed even when the well-being seems quite satisfactory and nothing is troubling. The specialist assesses the nature of the cough, breathing and general condition in order to notice unfavourable changes in time. In whooping cough, the course of the disease can be wave-like, so periods of calm do not mean that observation can be stopped. If there are small children or people with weakened health in the home, the schedule of visits should be discussed separately. The doctor will also check whether the vaccinations given correspond to the national schedule and will point out what has been missed. If new complaints appear or breathing worsens, the visit is not postponed until the planned date. Such monitoring helps to adjust observation in time and reduce the risk of a severe course.
What is worth remembering
Whooping cough remains a disease that is important to recognise in time and not try to treat on your own. Below are the main points that will help you make the right decision.
Key conclusions
Whooping cough is dangerous not so much in itself as by its complications, especially for infants and weakened people. A paroxysmal cough that does not go away for weeks should alert any adult. Many people have whooping cough mildly and do not suspect that they become a source of infection for those around them. That is why a prolonged cough should be taken seriously, rather than put down to a cold or an allergy. The earlier a person seeks help, the fewer the risks for them and for those nearby. Putting off a visit to the doctor often leads to help being provided already at the stage of a severe course. If there are small children or pregnant women around, one should pay especially close attention to one's cough. It is more sensible to clarify the cause with a specialist than to wait until the condition worsens.
