Can whooping cough be life-threatening?

Whooping cough may take you by surprise. The reason the disease is not diagnosed early is largely due to its early flu-like symptoms, which are not alarming. It is this hidden nature of whooping cough that can cause problems, especially in infants, many of whom may not even cough at all. Instead, they experience apnea, which can make it difficult for babies to breathe. These life-threatening pauses in breathing can lead to cyanosis, which appears as blue skin. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for some children, whooping cough may seem like a common cold throughout the illness, not just at the beginning.
While the early symptoms of whooping cough range from a runny nose, mild cough, low fever and sneezing, as the days turn into weeks, the disease takes a serious turn with bouts of coughing fits. They are extremely uncomfortable and can last from 1 to 6 weeks, and in some cases up to 10 weeks. It can even lead to vomiting, pneumonia, brain hemorrhage and even broken ribs in some cases.

Why is it called whooping cough

A child suffering from whooping cough makes a high-pitched “scream” when inhaling after a coughing fit, which is a sure sign of the disease, since it leads to respiratory arrest. This symptom is especially noticeable in older infants and toddlers, as children under 6 months of age do not experience a “cry” but may experience shortness of breath.
The child may feel unusually tired after a seizure, but will be fine between seizures. Either way, whooping cough causes sleepless nights, which can worsen the discomfort caused by the disease.
Whooping cough is caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, which can live in the human respiratory tract. It can be spread through secretions, sneezing and coughing. Symptoms usually appear a week after infection.

Dangers of whooping cough

Whooping cough most often affects infants, children and adolescents. For adults, the consequences are not as serious. But in the case of an unvaccinated child, this can mean serious trouble and a nightmare situation for the parents.
“Most severe illnesses and complications of whooping cough occur in very young children who have either not been vaccinated or have not yet completed vaccination,” says Harry Keyserling, MD, professor of pediatric infectious diseases at Emory University in Atlanta.
It will not help if an adult is vaccinated against whooping cough, as they can still pass the disease on to their child, who may face serious consequences.
However, vaccinated children are protected from the life-threatening effects of whooping cough and may have a mild illness.

Can whooping cough be life-threatening?

Infants younger than 6 months who already have “whooping cough” or who are having trouble breathing may be at risk for life-threatening complications from whooping cough. In such cases, they will require hospital treatment. Children are usually given suctioning to clear their airways.
Whooping cough can be prevented with the DTaP vaccine, which can protect approximately 98% of children within a year of vaccination. On the other hand, the Tdap vaccine is administered to adolescents and adults.
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