3 Effective Home Remedies To Cure Whooping Cough In Children
Are you working hard to ensure your child has a balanced diet and a healthy body? Are you chasing the pediatrician for your child’s vaccinations to protect him from as many diseases as possible? Well, all your efforts do help in boosting your child’s immunity but in case your child contracts an infection, it is not a bolt from the blue.
Whooping cough is one such contagious infection that may give your child a lot of discomfort and many sleepless nights. Prepare yourself to fight the disease better, by reading more information about its symptoms and treatment in this article.
What Is Whooping Cough?
Whooping cough is a form of cough that arises due to an infection in the respiratory system. A bacterium, the scientific name of which is Bordetella pertussis is the causative agent. The other name of whooping cough is Pertussis. Few other facts that you must learn about whooping cough are:
- It affects babies who are less than six months old and are yet to get their vaccination. Alternatively, it occurs in children between 11 and 18 years of age, having waning immunity.
- It causes spells of cough that culminates with a whooping sound as the child tries to inhale. It usually happens after almost 7-10 days since the onset of cough.
- The coughing spell may last for a minute. It is a dry cough and does not produce any mucus.
- During a coughing spell, your child’s face may turn red or purple.
- Whooping cough may last for 2 to 6 weeks.
- Children who are younger than six months may require immediate medical attention or even hospitalization if they have whooping cough.
[ Read: Bacterial Infection In Children ]
Causes Of Whooping Cough:
Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease. If your child is around a person who is suffering from whooping cough, then it is likely your child will contract the infection as well.
When a person with whooping cough sneezes, coughs, laughs or talks then small droplets that include the bacteria travel and spread through the air. If your child inhales the bacteria in the infected air, he too will suffer from whooping cough. The bacteria take shelter in the linings of the lungs and lead to inflammation. It then goes on to trigger dry cough, cold like symptoms and coughing spells.
[ Read: Tuberculosis In Children ]
Signs And Symptoms Of Whooping Cough In Children:
Some of the common symptoms of whooping cough are as follows:
- Coughing that gets severe with time though it might begin as a mild cough.
- Sneezing.
- Mild fever (around 102 degree Fahrenheit).
- Runny nose.
- Babies may not have coughing spells that produce the whooping sound, but may be gasping for breath.
- Some babies may also vomit when they have incessant coughing.
- Infants may also stop breathing for a few seconds and suffer from apnea due to a bad coughing spell.
[ Read: Home Remedies For Cough In Children ]
Remedies Of Whooping Cough In Children:
You need to take your child for timely vaccinations to keep the threat of whooping cough at bay. The vaccine is a part of the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis) immunization. Doctors usually administer the vaccine through five doses before a child turns six. Here are more facts about protecting your children from whooping cough through vaccinations:
- Doctors recommend a booster shot of the Tdap vaccine instead of the Td booster for children who are 11 years old.
- If you suspect your child is suffering from whooping cough, call your doctor immediately. The pediatrician may prescribe antibiotics for your child to ensure a speedy recovery. Remember, early diagnosis can ensure early whooping cough treatment for children and early recovery too. The medication will also prevent the infection from spreading to others.
- You can also check with your doctor if your other family members need any vaccination to protect them from the infection.
If your child has suffered from whooping cough, please share your experience, tips and advice with us.
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