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PertussisPertussis, or whooping cough, is a childhood illness characterized by intense coughing. The illness is caused by contact with the secretions or droplets of persons infected with the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. It usually takes ten days from first contact to onset of disease. The first symptoms are sneezing, eyes becoming tearful, a mild cough and low-grade fever. These symptoms continue for one to two weeks and are followed by a dry, hacking cough which can last four to six weeks. The child needs bedrest, adequate fluids and possibly a humidifier to ease her respiration. The doctor may prescribe an antibiotic and an immune globulin. During the severe coughing stage, the child should be kept isolated from other children, since she is most infectious at this time. |
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