Symptoms and Treatment of Whooping Cough in Children

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on September 29, 2024
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The common symptoms of whooping cough are coughing, prolonged coughing, and spasmodic coughing, which ends with a crowing sound, and it mainly occurs during the night. The face may turn bright red during coughing, which is a typical symptom of whooping cough. For treatment, in the early stages of whooping cough, erythromycin is definitely used and can be effective. However, in pediatrics, if the whooping cough has lasted for a long time, the effectiveness of the treatment is relatively not as good. If the coughing period is long and medication is used in the middle to late stages, even with some treatment, it might still continue for two to three months. Although treatments like cough suppressants and expectorants can alleviate the symptoms, a cough usually still persists to some degree.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
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How is whooping cough diagnosed?

If the body has chronic cough symptoms that do not heal over time and recur frequently, it is suspicious of pertussis infection. To confirm this disease, corresponding auxiliary examinations are needed, such as a complete blood count and sputum culture. If Bordetella pertussis or Corynebacterium diphtheriae are cultured from the sputum, a diagnosis can be made. It is also necessary to combine clinical symptoms and promptly use sensitive antibiotics and cough-relieving expectorant drugs for symptomatic treatment, adjusting the mindset to avoid mental tension.

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How to diagnose the incubation period of pertussis

The incubation period of whooping cough generally has no autonomous discomfort symptoms. If there is close contact with a patient and the body lacks antibodies, suspecting the presence of this pathogen, corresponding auxiliary examinations can be conducted for diagnosis. Bacteriological examinations and fluorescent antibody methods can be performed, using nasopharyngeal swab secretions smear or nasal mucosa impression smear fluorescent antibody staining to detect specific antigens, with an early positive rate of 75%-85%. Complement fixation tests in serology can also be conducted to detect specific antibodies, effectively aiding in the diagnosis of atypical cases.

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Written by Zeng Hai Jiang
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Whooping cough belongs to which type of infectious disease?

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by the infection of Bordetella pertussis. It is categorized as a Class B infectious disease according to national regulations. Bordetella pertussis has weak resistance to external environments and is generally not considered to spread through indirect contact. The primary mode of transmission is through respiratory droplets. Asymptomatic infected children are the main transmitters of the disease. Children under the age of five are the most susceptible. Babies typically receive their primary immunization at the ages of 3, 4, and 5 months, a booster immunization at 18-24 months, and another booster at the age of 6.

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What are the symptoms of pertussis encephalopathy?

Pertussis encephalopathy typically presents with persistent high fever, projectile vomiting, nausea, and severe headaches, which are indicators of increased intracranial pressure. It is necessary to conduct timely auxiliary examinations such as cerebrospinal fluid tests and cranial MRI for diagnosis. In conjunction with clinical symptoms, medications to alleviate cerebral edema and reduce intracranial pressure should be chosen for symptomatic treatment. Typically, corticosteroids are needed during the acute phase, along with mannitol, sedatives, and other symptomatic treatments. Additionally, antibiotics should be used to eliminate the Bordetella pertussis bacterium, the pathogen responsible for the condition.

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Written by Li Jian Wu
Pulmonology
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Does whooping cough require hospitalization for treatment?

This particular disease cannot be certain whether hospitalization is needed; it depends on the severity of the disease, the patient's constitution, the duration of the illness, and the body's sensitivity to the pathogens. If it is just mild paroxysmal spasmodic coughing without persistent high fever, breathing difficulty, or hypoxia, hospitalization is generally not necessary. Treatment can be managed at home with oral medication or nebulized inhalation for symptomatic treatment. The main principle is to eradicate the Bordetella pertussis bacteria.