Whooping cough in children

How to recognize whooping cough?

It all starts with a seemingly banal nasopharyngitis: the child has a runny nose, sore throat and a dry cough, especially at night. This nasopharyngitis lasts from 7 to 10 days, then appear violent fits of coughing, sometimes accompanied by vomiting. The sound of this cough is very characteristic and resembles the crowing of the rooster, hence the name whooping cough. To confirm his diagnosis, the doctor will ask for a blood serology to determine the level of antibodies against Bordetella pertussis, the bacteria responsible for this disease.

Can a baby get whooping cough?

Yes, from maternity. It only needs to be in contact with an adult who is no longer immune or who has a milder form of pertussis without knowing it. This is why all adults who have a cough or have a cold are not advised to hug or kiss a baby.

Is whooping cough contagious?

Yes, especially during the 7-10 days of incubation, when the child seems to be suffering from a simple nasopharyngitis. And this is the problem: as we do not yet know that he has whooping cough, no one is suspicious of him. And the disease is transmitted all the better when the immunization rate of the general population is too low, which explains the resurgence of whooping cough in recent years.

Do coughing fits last long?

These coughing fits are incessant for about 3 weeks. The child is shaken by violent spasms, he vomits, spits, has difficulty in taking again his inspiration between two fits, becomes pale or blue, according to the cases. Gradually these fits become less frequent, but the child will still cough regularly for two or three months.

Whooping cough: is it serious?

This disease can be particularly serious in babies under 6 months old. In France, whooping cough is the third leading cause of death due to bacterial infection in children. Vomiting is so frequent that the child loses weight and becomes dehydrated. Another risk: the little patient breathes with difficulty between two fits and he can suffocate. Infants who suffer from whooping cough before the age of 6 months are therefore systematically hospitalized to benefit from continuous monitoring and stimulation in the event of respiratory arrest.

What treatment for whooping cough?

To eliminate the presence of the bacteria in the secretions and thus reduce the risk of contamination, the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for 14 days to the little patient, but also to all the people of his close entourage, whether or not they are up to date in their pertussis vaccination. However, many pertussis go undiagnosed and therefore go untreated, and the patient recovers on his own.

How long will he not be able to go to the nursery?

The duration of eviction from the nursery or school is 5 days after the start of antibiotics. But the doctor advises, when possible, to keep the children a little longer at home because they are often very tired.

Are there any complications?

In France, they are rare but possible, especially in very young children. Secondary infections (otitis, bronchitis), bronchial hyper reactivity (tendency to asthma), pneumonia and neurological affections (convulsions and encephalitis) are the main ones. But around the world, pertussis still causes about 300 deaths each year, especially in infants.

When should he be vaccinated against pertussis?

France, like Belgium, Canada and the Netherlands, has implemented generalized vaccination for more than forty years. The vaccination schedule recommends vaccination in three injections, at 2, 3 and 4 months, at the same time as DT polio and Haemophilus (Infanrix quinta or Pentavac). The children then have a booster at 18 months, another between 5 and 6 years (Infanrix tetra), then a third between 11 and 13 years. Finally, and this is new, since 2004 a booster (Repevax) is recommended in young adults in contact with infants.

Does the pertussis vaccine fully protect?

As the immune system of infants is immature, the vaccine does not give them correct immunity until around 4 to 6 months, which is why they are particularly fragile before. In addition, some vaccinated children or adults can develop milder forms of whooping cough which simply results in a bad cold.