Whooping Cough
Seeing your child become sick with any type of illness can be worrisome, especially when they are very young. Trying to differentiate between the many varieties of illnesses that a child might be suffering can be difficult. A common illness that very young children get and can be hard to distinguish from other illness is whooping cough.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
Although the number of whooping cough cases and deaths dramatically decreased in previous decades, it has recently been on the rise with the number of reported cases higher than it has been since the 1950s. By recognizing the following symptoms of whooping cough though, you can quickly get your child the appropriate treatment:
- Mild cough that becomes a dry, heaving cough (the namesake of the illness)
- A low fever
- Runny nose
- Vomiting after coughing spells
The Dangers
While there is a vaccine for whooping cough that prevents many children from contracting the illness, the vaccine wears off after five to ten years, making older adolescents and adults susceptible to coming down with whooping cough. However, if a young child, especially infants, contract whooping cough, it can be very dangerous, even lethal. The following are some potential consequences:
- Dehydration caused by vomiting
- Lack of oxygen
- Death
Many of these dangers are very preventable with immunization or timely treatment. However, whooping cough left untreated in physically weaker individuals can be very threatening.
Contact Us
If you are worried that your child may be suffering from whooping cough or any other potentially dangerous illness, you should not hesitate to contact the Houston medical professionals at Neighbors Emergency Center by calling 713-669-9900. Our expert staff is there 24/7 to serve you and your family’s needs.
