Pertussis is a dangerous infectious disease of the respiratory tract, which causes bacteria. The most characteristic sign for him is spasmodic coughing attacks. In most cases, they are sick children of preschool age. Particular danger of this disease is for babies up to two years.
Symptoms of whooping cough in a child and the causes
The source can only be another person. Especially dangerous are those who are at the initial stage of the disease - from the first to the twenty-fifth day. The incubation period is one to two weeks, but not more than three.
Symptoms of whooping cough in a child and the stage of the disease
The disease itself can last for six weeks. There are several of its stages: catarrhal, paroxysmal and recovery.
The catarrhal period lasts for one to two weeks, accompanied by a runny nose, sneezing, sometimes an increase in body temperature and a cough that does not get less from the drugs used. By the third week he is getting stronger. Cough takes the form of seizures, especially at night, and the disease begins to go to the paroxysmal stage. From the third to the fourth week there is a spastic cough with secreted phlegm. At attacks the patient becomes red, the tongue protrudes, the bridle of the tongue may be injured , and sometimes a hemorrhage in the mucous membrane of the eye may occur. It is worth remembering that the symptoms of whooping cough in an infant do not show up with typical coughing attacks. Instead, after a few shocks of a cough, breathing stops for a while, and this can be very dangerous for life. When recovering from attacks, the cough becomes less and the patient begins to feel normal. Such a cough can manifest again during the first few months after the illness, as a rule, a common cold can provoke it.
Symptoms of whooping cough in a child and possible complications
The most common complication is pneumonia, which is caused by a pertussis or a secondary bacterial infection. In a particularly severe form, with a high percentage of deaths, whooping cough happens in children in the first months of life.
Pertussis in children: symptoms, treatment, and what can you do?
If you have any suspicions of whooping cough, see a doctor immediately. This is a very dangerous disease and must be treated with strict medical supervision. Painful children (especially at a young age) are recommended to ensure maximum rest, because external stimuli can again cause coughing attacks. For older children with the course of the disease in mild form, bed rest is not necessary. It should be avoided that provokes a cough. It is recommended to walk more often outdoors and ventilate the room.
What can the doctor advise?
It is required to be vaccinated in time - and diphtheria, pertussis will be bypassed. It is also necessary to have a checkup with a doctor. Hospitalization of the patient is possible only in the most severe cases. The basis of treatment are the antibiotics of the macrolide group.