Posted on 06/09/2005 12:26:04 AM PDT by ppaul
Whooping Cough Outbreak
Communities throughout the U.S. are experiencing whooping cough (pertussis) outbreaks - the worst in 40 years.
If the school nurse or the health department informs you that there is a pertussis outbreak in your school or community, you may need to call your pediatrician. The school or health department will tell you if your child was directly exposed and requires antibiotics.
Health departments across the country are acting quickly to prevent the spread of pertussis, so your cooperation in contacting your pediatrician is crucial. Please follow the instruction of the health department. The care of children in an outbreak situation is different from care in isolated cases and the health department has the most updated information on how best to prevent disease.
This illness is called pertussis because it is caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, which attacks the lining of the breathing passages, producing severe inflammation and narrowing of the airways. Severe coughing is a prominent symptom. Because the child is short of breath, she inhales deeply and quickly between coughs. These breaths frequently make a “whooping” sound, which is how this illness got its common name. Older children might not have the whoop sound. The intense coughing scatters the pertussis bacteria into the air, spreading the disease to other susceptible persons.
Symptoms of Whooping Cough
Whooping cough often acts like a common cold for a week or two. Then the cough gets worse, and the child may start to have the characteristic “whoops.” During this phase (which can last two weeks or more), the child often is short of breath and can look bluish around the mouth. She also may tear, drool and vomit. Infants with pertussis become exhausted and develop complications, such as susceptibility to other infections, pneumonia and seizures. Pertussis can be fatal in infants, but the usual course is for recovery to begin after two to four more weeks. The cough may not disappear for months and may return with subsequent respiratory infections.
When to Call Your Pediatrician
Pertussis infection starts out acting like a cold. You should consider the possibility of whooping cough if the following conditions are present.
The child is a very young infant who has not been fully immunized and/or has had exposure to someone with a chronic cough or the disease.
The child’s cough becomes severe and frequent, or her lips and fingertips become dark or blue.
She becomes exhausted after coughing episodes, eats poorly, vomits after coughing and/or looks “sick.”
Treatment for Exposure
The course of treatment depends on the nature of the exposure. If there is a whooping cough case in your school but your child has not been directly exposed, your health department or pediatrician may just recommend that you watch closely for developing symptoms. If your child was directly exposed, your child may need to be treated with antibiotics even if they are not showing symptoms. Your health department and pediatrician will be able to recommend what’s best for your particular circumstances.
Treatment for Disease
Depending upon the age of the child and the severity of the illness, treatment may include the following either at home or in the hospital:
Antibiotics – may be given intravenously.
Close observation – sometimes in an intensive-care setting.
Oxygen and intravenous fluids.
#2. Were your children vaccinated? Are children who have been vaccinated at risk?
WHAT IS WHOOPING COUGH?
Pertussis, often referred to as whooping cough, is a bacterial respiratory illness. In children, pertussis is characterized by severe spasms of coughing that can last for several weeks or even months and vomiting. Severe coughing spasms can make it difficult for a child to eat, drink, and breathe; vomiting can lead to weight lose and dehydration. Major complications are most common among infants and young children and include: pneumonia, seizures, hypoxia, apnea, encephalopathy, and malnutrition. Pertussis is highly contagious and spreads from person-to-person through close contact with respiratory droplets released when a person coughs or sneezes.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF WHOOPING COUGH? The first symptoms usually mimic those of a common cold including runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, and a mild cough. The cough gradually becomes severe and after 1-2 weeks evolves to bursts of numerous, rapid coughs or “whoop” (the sound created by breathing in after a coughing episode). The child may turn blue, vomit, and be exhausted. Between coughing spasms, the child usually appears normal.
Coughing spasms occur more frequently at night. The spasms increase in frequency for a couple of weeks, then remain at the same level for 2-3 weeks, and then gradually decrease. Coughing may last as long as 10 weeks. Symptoms usually appear 5-10 days after exposure, but may take as long as 21 days.
Pertussis is most severe in infants under 1 year old. More than half of these infants who get the disease must be hospitalized. Older children and adults can get pertussis too, but it is much less severe and might not even be recognized as pertussis. Many infants who get pertussis catch it from their older brothers and sisters or from their parents.
HOW MANY CASES OF WHOOPING COUGH ARE THERE TODAY? Pertussis is an endemic illness. In the United States epidemics occur every 3-5 years. The most recent epidemic occurred in 1996. There are disproportionate disease increases among adolescents and adults. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), communities throughout the United States have experienced pertussis outbreaks in unprecedented numbers over this past year. Cases are common among adults, with adolescents and young adults being the most common source of transmission for infants. Children who are too young to be fully vaccinated and those who have not completed the primary vaccination series are at highest risk for severe illness.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PROTECT MY CHILD FROM CONTRACTING WHOOPING COUGH?
The best way to protect infants from pertussis is to vaccinate your child with the DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus toxoids, and acellular pertussis) vaccine on time starting at 2, 4, and 6 months; 15-18 months; and at 4-6 years of age. DTaP is safe and effective, and prevents severe pertussis and death among infants and young children. Parents can also help protect their infants by minimizing exposure (close contact) with persons who have cold symptoms or cough illness.
Remember: vaccination not only protects us, it protects those around us.
Additional information on pertussis and DTaP vaccine is available at:
http://www.cispimmunize.org/fam/dtp/pert/fam_pert.html and http://www.aap.org/family/whoopingcough.htm. Still Have Questions? Email: cispimmunize@aap.org
My son had the first three shots, and his reaction was worse with each one.......after the third he had tremors and high fever and screamed non-stop for hours. Our pediatrician said he should NEVER receive it again, so he also had just the DT boosters after that.
Bump!
Bump!
"Throat Coat Tea" is great.
immunization is only good for about a decade
I AM one. I opted out for my children (ages now: 17-28)
As long as you immunize, it is none of your business whether I do or not. (Because you are supposedly safe)
Being a right-wing conspirator, I don't think it is the job of the government (including education system) to tell me what I must do with my body, or that of my children.
Just make sure that neither you nor any of your children are ever around any newborn babies... they haven't had their shots yet and are more likely to die from something like whooping cough.
Those newborns would recieve their mothers immunities.....if they nursed and were not bottle fed.
But if their mother never had pertussis, they could become infected if exposed.
BTW: doctors are saying that the current outbreak is especially pernicious, as it has infected many who have been vaccinated.
It's just none of your business....that's all.
Do you really believe I am now responsible for any child that dies from pertussis. Life is not fair, it is risky...disease is one of those risks. But it is not a "right" to tell me what I, or my children "must" do. I also don't believe it is the governments job to tell me I must wear safety belts or motor cycle helmets.
But then again....I guess it's okay to trade my freedom for the safety of the children. NOT
Babies die from pertussis. That's a fact. If you are not immunized, you run a bigger risk of having the disease yourself. Therefore you are capable of passing that infection on to a newborn. I hope you make others aware of your non-vax status. That's all I'm saying. I'm NOT saying the government should force you to vax.
Then I guess it is okay if a bottle-fed baby dies?
I have not heard anything about it here. There is a lot of coughing going on but I think that is just plain ole sinus problems like I have. I remember people having it when I was a kid way back in the dark ages. It was really bad for babies and young children. So many people here have allergies, too, which means a lot of coughing.
And some of the strains are immune to our current modes of treatment, like the MDR (multiple drug resistant) type of TB. It costs from tens of thousands up to a million dollars to treat one case of MDR-TB.
At least on Ellis Island in the early 1900's, immigrants were checked for diseases and quarantined and cured before being let out amongst the population. But that was back when the gov. cared about its citizens' health!
There was a baby in Albuquerque that died from it a couple of weeks ago. I haven't heard anything else, but I don't live in Albuquerque now.
It's okay if any baby dies. Death happens, disease happens, accidents happen.
As a true conservative, I just don't think it is the right of the masses to infringe upon my freedoms. God (or evolution) gave me this life. What steps do I need to take,in your opinion, to protect others from my choices.
I must not smoke (second-hand smoke kills), I must wear a seat belt (so I don't kill myself). If I eat too much, am I causing someone else to starve? If I pollute too much, am I the death of a child somewhere.
I personally don't believe there is a justification for requiring me to inject a possible dangerous substance into my body (that might cause brain damage) so that a baby somewhere might not die. Sorry.
Here's your sign.
My child is not vaccinated for pertussis.
Please stay a safe distance from him/her for your protection.
Since we've been having a significant outbreak here in Tucson, it's been in the news quite a bit lately.
The DPT inoculation is not effective forever. Authorities here are recommending those 11 yrs and older get a booster. I'm retired and have no day to day contact with children (the main carriers) so am not too worried.
But if I was a parent or caregiver in frequent contact, I'd be talking to my doc about getting a shot.
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