
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis. Whooping cough symptoms include severe coughing fits and whooping sound produced during inhalation. The bacteria spreads via airborne droplets produced during sneezing or coughing. There is a whooping cough vaccine that is typically administered during childhood vaccinations. Read more: Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Contagious? Article
Multimedia: Slideshows, Images & Quizzes
-
Childhood Diseases: Measles, Mumps, & More
Is your child at risk for these childhood diseases? Know when to call the doctor for conditions such as measles, mumps, ringworm,...
-
10 Common Symptoms in Infants and Young Toddlers
Watch this slideshow to see common symptoms and home treatment for infant and childhood illnesses including fever, nausea,...
-
COVID-19 Vaccine Myths and Facts Quiz
The FDA has granted Emergency Use Authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines that have been shown to be safe and effective as...
-
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Symptoms, Vaccine Facts
Whooping cough (Bordetella pertussis) is a highly contagious bacterial infection. Vaccines and antibiotics could prevent whooping...

SLIDESHOW
Whooping Cough (Pertussis) Symptoms, Vaccine Facts See SlideshowRelated Disease Conditions
-
Cough: 19 Tips on How to Stop a Cough
Coughing is a reflex that helps a person clear their airways of irritants. There are many causes of an excessive or severe cough including irritants like cigarette and secondhand smoke, pollution, air fresheners, medications like beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, the common cold, GERD, lung cancer, and heart disease.Natural and home remedies to help cure and soothe a cough include staying hydrated, gargle salt water, use cough drops or lozenges, use herbs and supplements like ginger, mint, licorice, and slippery elm, and don't smoke. Over-the-counter products (OTC)to cure and soothe a cough include cough suppressants and expectorants, and anti-reflux drugs. Prescription drugs that help cure a cough include narcotic medications, antibiotics, inhaled steroids, and anti-reflux drugs like proton pump inhibitors or PPIs, for example, omeprazole (Prilosec), rabeprazole (Aciphex), and pantoprazole (Protonix).
-
What Are the Side Effects of the Pneumonia Vaccine?
The pneumonia vaccine can help protect against pneumococcal infections. Learn what the pneumonia vaccine is all about, and what to do if you experience side effects. Pneumonia is an infection in your lungs that is usually caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi.
-
Chronic Cough
Chronic cough is a cough that does not go away and is generally a symptom of another disorder such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinus infection, cigarette smoking, GERD, postnasal drip, bronchitis, pneumonia, medications, and less frequently tumors or other lung disease. Chronic cough treatment is based on the cause, but may be soothed natural and home remedies.
-
Fatigue and Exhaustion
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases, for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, and drug abuse.Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
-
Fever
Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 F (37 C), in practice, a person is usually not considered to have a significant fever until the temperature is above 100.4 F (38 C). Fever is part of the body's own disease-fighting arsenal; rising body temperatures apparently are capable of killing off many disease-producing organisms.
-
Nausea and Vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are symptoms of many conditions including motion sickness, pregnancy, emotional stress, gallbladder disease, and other illnesses. Learn about causes, treatment, and when to be concerned.
-
How Can I Stop My Child From Coughing?
Treatment for cough is not recommended unless the cough interferes with the child’s sleep or activity or is accompanied by a fever. Different age groups of children require different therapies to stop them from coughing. Some good home remedies to treat cough in children include honey, warm milk, hydration, steam inhalation, resting, saline nose drops and other strategies.
-
What Is the Most Common Cause of Bronchiectasis?
Bronchiectasis is a chronic lung condition in which the bronchi (tube-like passageways that transfer air within the lungs) get permanently damaged and widened. The most common causes of bronchiectasis are pneumonia, pertussis, tuberculosis and non-tuberculosis mycobacterium.
-
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacteria Bordetella pertussis. There are an estimated 300,000 plus deaths annually from whooping cough (pertussis). Whooping cough commonly affects infants and young children but can be prevented with immunization with the vaccine. First stage whooping cough symptoms are a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever, a mild cough with the cough gradually becoming more severe. After one to two weeks, the second stage of whooping cough begins.
-
Children's Cough Causes and Treatments
Children's cough causes include infection, acid reflux, asthma, allergies or sinus infection, whooping cough, and exposure to irritants. Treatment for a child's cough include cough medicine for children over the age of four.
-
How Long Does Whooping Cough Last?
What is whooping cough and how long does whooping cough last? Learn more about whooping cough and how to recover from whooping cough.
-
What Is the Best Treatment for Whooping Cough?
Learn what medical treatments can help ease your whooping cough symptoms and speed up your recovery.
-
How Serious Is Whooping Cough in Adults?
What is whooping cough (pertussis) and how serious is it for adults? Learn causes, symptoms and treatments.
-
How Do You Know If Your Child Has Whooping Cough?
Whooping cough is a common issue that affects many children. Learn the signs of whooping cough, what causes it, how doctors diagnose it, and what you can do to treat it.
-
Vaccine-Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia (VITT) and COVID-19
Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is an extremely rare side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine and has only been seen with the Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca vaccines.
-
What Are the Ages for Vaccines?
A vaccine is a medication that trains the immune system to produce special proteins (antibodies) that fight a specific disease. A vaccine may be injected, taken orally, or taken as nasal drops. Most vaccines contain dead or weakened germs, germ fragments, or toxins that train the immune system to mount an attack in case of a potential infection.
Treatment & Diagnosis
Medications & Supplements
- erythromycin
- Side Effects of Mucinex DM (guaifenesin and dextromethorphan hydrobromide)
- epinephrine racemic
- camphor
- slippery elm
- Brompheniramine/Dextromethorphan/Pseudoephedrine
- diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTP) vaccine injection (Adult)
- diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-haemophilus vaccine-injection, Tetramune
- dextromethorphan
- Tussigon (hydrocodone)
- diphtheria/tetanus/acellular pertussis (pediatric) - injection, Daptacel, Infanrix, Tripedia
Prevention & Wellness
- Only a Third of Pregnant Women Getting Vaccinations They Need
- Whooping Cough Vaccine Effectiveness Fades With Time: Study
- Health Tip: Protect Baby from Whooping Cough
- Siblings Now Main Source of Infants' Whooping Cough: CDC
- Preteen Whooping Cough Vaccine Loses Strength Over Time, CDC Finds
- California Infants Hit Hard by Whooping Cough Epidemic: Report
- Whooping Cough Vaccine Seems Safe in Pregnancy, Study Finds
- Whooping Cough Vaccine Rates During Pregnancy Fall Short: CDC
- Persistent Cough in Kids Can Often Be Whooping Cough
- Whooping Cough Vaccination During Pregnancy Seems Safe: Study
- Hospital Policy Spurs New Moms to Get Whooping Cough Shot
- Health Tip: Learn the Signs of Whooping Cough
- Fewer Infants Hospitalized for Whooping Cough, Study Finds
- Whooping Cough Outbreaks Tied to Parents Shunning Vaccines
- Whooping Cough Risk Higher Among Kids Who Miss Vaccinations: Study
- Many U.S. Adults Under-Vaccinated Against Whooping Cough, Survey Finds
- Whooping Cough Cases Rise as Parents Opt Out of Vaccine
- Study: Older Whooping Cough Vaccine More Effective
- More Evidence Whooping Cough Protection Wanes
- Pregnant Women to Get Pertussis Vaccine
- Health Tip: Does Your Child Have Pertussis?
From 
Parenting Resources
Featured Centers
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Subscribe to MedicineNet's Children's Health & Parenting Newsletter
By clicking "Submit," I agree to the MedicineNet Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I also agree to receive emails from MedicineNet and I understand that I may opt out of MedicineNet subscriptions at any time.