Whooping cough in children: Young children need good care and attention. If proper care is not provided at this age, they are at increased risk for many serious illnesses. According to a new study, whooping cough can be fatal for young children. The new research emphasizes the importance of vaccinating mothers during pregnancy. The biggest concern about this disease is that it spreads rapidly, and its symptoms in children differ from those in adults, making timely identification and treatment difficult. Now the question is, what is whooping cough? How can we prevent it? Let's learn more about it:

What is whooping cough?
Whooping cough is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. It causes a severe and prolonged cough. The coughing sound that occurs when breathing is considered a hallmark of the disease. In some cases, this cough can persist for months, causing significant distress to both children and adults. But this disease manifests differently in children, so understanding it and getting timely treatment is crucial.

Why is whooping cough fatal for children?
Caitlin Lee, an infectious disease specialist at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and lead author of the study, said, "The symptoms of whooping cough in young children are different from those in adults." Lee, an assistant professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, added, "Children don't have whooping cough, but they can experience respiratory arrest (apnea). This increases the child's life-threatening condition because they can't breathe properly. Furthermore, the cough can cause a significant increase in white blood cell counts, which doctors sometimes mistake for a serious illness like cancer. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and early treatment are crucial for prevention."

Vaccination during pregnancy is the main prevention.
In an article published in the journal Pediatrics, researchers emphasized the importance of vaccinating pregnant women to prevent this disease. "When pregnant women receive the pertussis vaccine, their bodies produce antibodies to fight the disease, protecting the baby before birth. This protects newborns from this deadly disease," Lee said.

When Should Pregnant Women Get Vaccinated?

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children are given the vaccine at 2, 4, 6, 15-18 months, and then again at 4-6 years of age. A booster dose is required at 11-12 years of age, and if a child has not received the vaccine, it can be given until the age of 18. Pregnant women should receive the vaccine between 27 and 36 weeks of gestation to help protect their baby from diseases like pertussis before birth.

What to Do If You Have Pertussis
If a person has a confirmed or suspected case of pertussis, they should immediately take antibiotics. Early treatment can reduce symptoms and prevent the spread of the disease. However, starting treatment late may not significantly reduce symptoms, but it can prevent the spread of the infection to others.

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