As cases of whooping cough, also known as the ‘100-day cough’, are soaring across the country, parents should be aware of the symptoms in both children and adults to protect their family.
Figures from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have revealed cases of the disease have more than tripled in recent months compared to the same period last year, with 716 cases across England and Wales compared to 217.
Whooping cough, officially known as pertussis, is a bacterial infection of the lungs and breathing tubes. The infection can lead to a prolonged cough that is easily spread.
In adults the illness is usually mild, but it can cause serious problems in babies and children.
After a childhood vaccine for the disease was introduced in the 1950s cases fell from more than 100,000 per year and thousands of deaths to hundreds of cases, with fatalities now very rare.
However, a combination of falling vaccination rates and reduced immunity following Covid lockdowns mean the infection is now spreading at a faster rate than seen in many years.
The illness is most severe in young babies, and pregnant mothers are encouraged to have the whooping cough vaccine, ideally between 16 and 32 weeks.
Babies are routinely given the whooping cough vaccine at 8, 12 and 16 weeks as part of the 6-in-1 vaccine, and at 3 years 4 months in the 4-in-1 pre-school booster.
However, if you or your family have not yet been vaccinated or have been exposed to whooping cough, there are a range of symptoms to look out for.
What are the symptoms of whooping cough?
Whooping cough is slow to develop. The first signs are similar to a cold, such as:
- A runny nose
- A sore throat
A high temperature is uncommon.
After about a week, look out for:
- Coughing bouts that last for a few minutes or are worst at night
- A ‘whooping’ sound between coughs, caused by a gasp for breath – less common in young babies and adults
- Difficulty breathing after a coughing bout
- Young infants may turn blue or grey after a coughing bout
- Coughing may bring up a thick mucus, causing the patient to vomit
- Patients may become red in the face, more common in adults
The cough may last for several weeks or even months, but patients are generally not infectious after the first three weeks.
When to call your GP for whooping cough
According to the NHS, ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 11 if:
- Your baby is under 6 months old and has symptoms of whooping cough
- You or your child have a very bad cough that is getting worse
- You’ve been in contact with someone with whooping cough and you’re pregnant
- You or your child has been in contact with someone with whooping cough and have a weakened immune system
What are the risks of whooping cough to babies?
Babies under 6 months old with whooping cough have an increased chance of having problems such as dehydration, breathing difficulties, pneumonia and seizures (fits).
Whooping cough is less severe in older children and adults but coughing may cause problems including sore ribs, a hernia, middle ear infections and urinary incontinence – pee leaking out when you cough.
When to call 999 for whooping cough
The NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E if:
- Your or your child’s lips, tongue, face or skin suddenly turn blue or grey (on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or the soles of the feet)
- You or your child are finding it hard to breathe properly (shallow breathing)
- You or your child have chest pain that’s worse when breathing or coughing – this could be a sign of pneumonia
- Your child is having seizures (fits)
What is the treatment for whooping cough?
What treatment you are given will depend on your age and how long you have been ill.
If it is diagnosed within three weeks of infection, you will be given antibiotics to help prevent spreading the infection to others. However, this may not ease your symptoms.
If you’ve had whooping cough for more than three weeks you are no longer contagious, and won’t be given antibiotics.
Hospital treatment is usually only needed for babies under six months old, or those with a very severe case
How can you treat the symptoms of whooping cough?
If you’re suffering from whooping cough, be sure to get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and take paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve discomfort.
However, children under 16 should NOT be given aspirin, or paracetamol or ibuprofen at the same time.
Cough medicines will not help whooping cough and should not be used.
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