When is pertussis the most dangerous

Recovery from pertussis can happen slowly. The cough becomes milder and less common. However, coughing fits can return with other respiratory infections for many months after the pertussis infection started. Top of Page. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link.

Pertussis Whooping Cough. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Signs and Symptoms. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Pertussis in Babies. Related Page. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Pertussis frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed Nov.

Kasper DL, et al. Pertussis and other Bordatella infections. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. New York, N. Cornia P, et al. Pertussis infection in adolescents and adults: Clinical manifestations and diagnosis.

Yeh S. Pertussis infection in infants and children: Clinical features and diagnosis. Pertussis infection in infants and children: Treatment and prevention.

Tdap Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis vaccine information statements. Postexposure antimicrobial prophylaxis. Steckelberg JM expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Related Whooping cough. Your doctor will have the most current information. People who live with or come into close contact with someone who has pertussis should receive antibiotics to prevent the spread of the disease, even if they've already been vaccinated against it.

Young kids who have not received all five doses of the vaccine may need a booster dose if exposed to an infected family member. The incubation period the time between infection and the start of symptoms for whooping cough is usually 7 to 10 days, but can be as long as 21 days. Pertussis usually causes prolonged symptoms — 1 to 2 weeks of common cold symptoms, followed by up to 3 months of severe coughing. The last stage consists of another few weeks of recovery with gradual clearing of symptoms.

In some children, the recovery period can last for months. Call the doctor if you suspect that your child has whooping cough. To make a diagnosis, the doctor will take a medical history, do a thorough physical exam, and may take nose and throat mucus samples to be checked in a lab. Blood tests and a chest X-ray also might be done.

Whooping cough is treated with antibiotics. Many experts believe that antibiotics are most effective in shortening the length of the infection when they're given in the first stage of the illness, before coughing spells begin.

But even if antibiotics are started later, they're still important because they can stop the spread of the pertussis infection to others. Ask your doctor whether preventive antibiotics or vaccine boosters for other family members are needed. Some kids with whooping cough need to be treated in a hospital.

Babies and younger children are more likely to be hospitalized because they're at greater risk for problems like pneumonia. Whooping cough can be life-threatening for infants younger than 6 months, so they almost always need hospital treatment. Other potential complications include difficulty breathing, periods of apnea, needing oxygen particularly during a coughing spell , and dehydration. While in the hospital, a child may need suctioning to clear the airways.

Breathing will be watched closely, and oxygen given if needed. Intravenous IV fluids might be needed if a child shows signs of dehydration or has difficulty eating. Precautions will be taken to prevent the infection from spreading to other patients, hospital staff, and visitors. If your child is being treated for pertussis at home, follow the schedule for giving antibiotics exactly as your doctor prescribed.