Who is getting whooping cough

That's why it's important to have all the routine NHS vaccinations. If you're pregnant you should also have the whooping cough vaccine — ideally between 16 and 32 weeks. Read more about the whooping cough vaccination in pregnancy.

Page last reviewed: 13 November Next review due: 13 November Whooping cough. For You Children Patient Handouts. What is whooping cough? What causes whooping cough? What are the symptoms of whooping cough? They may last for 1 to 2 weeks and can include Runny nose Mild fever Mild, occasional cough The early symptoms in babies can be different. As whopping cough gets worse, the symptoms may include Fits of many, rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched "whoop" sound Vomiting during or after coughing fits Exhaustion after coughing fits The coughing fits get worse and start happening more often, especially at night.

How is whooping cough diagnosed? Your health care provider may use many tools to diagnose whooping cough : A medical history, which includes asking about your symptoms A physical exam A lab test which involves taking a sample of mucus from the back of the throat through the nose. This may be done with a swab or syringe filled with saline. The sample is tested for the bacteria that causes whooping cough. Blood test Chest x-ray What are the treatments for whooping cough?

Whooping cough can sometimes be very serious and require treatment in the hospital. Can whooping cough be prevented? You may also help prevent the spread of whooping cough and other respiratory diseases by Washing your hands often with soap and water. You can use an alcohol-based hand rub if soap and water are not available. Avoiding touching your face with unwashed hands Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that you frequently touch, including toys Covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or upper shirt sleeve, not hands Staying home when sick Avoiding close contact with people who are sick Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Start Here. Diagnosis and Tests. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Signs and Symptoms. Minus Related Pages. On This Page. Pertussis in Babies. Related Page. Pertussis Frequently Asked Questions. Related Links. If you just gave birth and have never received Tdap the adolescent and adult whooping cough vaccine , you should get it right away.

Your child will also need a fifth dose of DTaP vaccine between age four and six years. Whooping cough is very serious for babies and young children, and the most common way for them to get it is from parents, caregivers, and other family members. The best way to protect your baby is to get the vaccine and make sure your other children are immunized on time.

All family members living in your house and anyone who will spend time around your new baby—like grandparents and child care providers—should get the whooping cough vaccine if they have not already done so. Check with your healthcare provider to make sure your family is up to date. It is safe to get Tdap while you're breastfeeding.

Mothers vaccinated with Tdap may pass some whooping cough antibodies to their babies through breast milk, but it does not provide full protection.

It is still important to protect a baby who is still too young to be vaccinated by limiting his or her exposure to whooping cough. Ask people who are sick to stay away and make sure you and everyone who is around your baby is vaccinated. Then, as soon as your baby is old enough, get him or her vaccinated by following the recommended immunization schedule PDF. All healthcare workers should get one dose of Tdap vaccine. This helps protect the workers and their patients. This is especially true if the health care worker will be working with babies and pregnant women.

There is no state law that requires healthcare workers to get the whooping cough vaccine, but some health care organizations have policies that require staff to be vaccinated. Check with your employer about your workplace vaccination policies. Yes, there were several cases of pertussis in healthcare workers during Washington's whooping cough epidemic.

In Washington, whooping cough is a reportable condition and even a suspected case is supposed to be reported by healthcare professionals to their local health agencies. Some providers are unaware of the requirement to report.

Some cases of whooping cough are diagnosed as other conditions and aren't reported. An estimated one in 10 cases of whooping cough is reported to public health. Visit our COVID page for the latest updates, vaccine information , testing locations and data dashboard.

Whooping Cough. Tos ferina. For Parents. Information for Pregnant Women. Tdap Study. Whooping Cough FAQ. Preguntas frecuentes sobre la tos ferina. How serious is whooping cough?

What are the symptoms of whooping cough? How soon do symptoms appear? How is whooping cough treated? How is whooping cough prevented? Are some people at higher risk from whooping cough?

People at greatest risk from whooping cough include: Infants under one year old. Pregnant women especially in the third trimester. People that have a chronic respiratory illness.

How common is whooping cough in Washington? Is there still a whooping cough epidemic in Washington? Are there more cases of whooping cough than what's reported? Only about one out of every 10 cases gets reported to public health because: Sometimes whooping cough is diagnosed as something else. Some people have whooping cough without knowing it, so they may not see a doctor and it could go undiagnosed and unreported.

What if I was exposed to someone who has whooping cough? What should I do if I think someone in my family has whooping cough? How should employers handle employees returning to work who have had whooping cough?