Whooping Cough

We have been asked to remind parents about Whooping Cough

Firstly, if you wish to know more the Ministry of Health have a wealth of further information on this topic.

Whooping cough can be very serious for babies and children – especially those under 1 year old. If babies catch whooping cough, they:

· may not be able to feed or breathe properly.

· may become so ill they need to go to hospital.

· could end up with serious complications such as pneumonia and brain damage.

To protect your baby, get your free immunisation between 28 and 38 weeks of pregnancy and take your baby for their free immunisations when they’re 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months old.

When it’s infectious

People with whooping cough are infectious from 6 days after exposure to the bacteria, when symptoms are like a normal cold, to 3 weeks after the ‘whooping’ cough begins – unless they are treated with antibiotics

Many babies catch whooping cough from their older siblings or parents – often before they’re old enough to be vaccinated.

How common is whooping cough?

Most cases of whooping cough occur in adults whose immunity has faded. In these cases, symptoms tend to be less serious, although the persistent cough can be unpleasant and frustrating