Baby's first year : Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

All children in the UK are vaccinated against whooping cough (pertussis) as part of the immunisation program. Immunised children may develop a mild form of the disease.

Whooping cough is a serious and persistent cough which is highly infectious so do keep your child away from other children who have not been immunised. However, your child is unlikely to be infectious after the third week. Sometimes whooping cough may result in complications like bronchitis and pneumonia.

Apart from the usual symptom of persistent coughing, your child may have problems breathing and may even vomit after a coughing fit. It can all be very distressing for a child, so remain with him during his coughing bouts.

The doctor may prescribe antibiotics to ease the severity of the cough and make it less infectious.

Whooping cough can be even more distressing in young babies as breathing during a coughing bout is very difficult for them. You can raise slightly the foot of the cot to ease the cough.