Whooping cough treatment and prevention

Whooping cough treatment will focus on two things, first how to control and eliminate the bacterium that causes the disease, and second how to alleviate the symptoms. Those who get the disease should also contained from free interaction with those who susceptible especially children under 3 years or people with immune system problem. Before we talk further about the treatment, let’s talk about the cough first.

According to mayoclinic.com, whooping cough or also known as pertussis is a highly contagious and serious respiratory tract infection that’s caused by bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. These bacteria can infect healthy person through patient sneeze or cough. When a patient sneeze or cough, tiny droplets containing the germ are sprayed into the air. If this germ breathed by those who susceptible such as kids or babies, they could be infected by the germ.

People with the disease will experience early whooping cough symptoms such as nasal congestion, runny nose, low-grade fever, dry cough, and watery eyes. One to three week after those early signs, the symptoms become worsen. At this time, the patient may experience violent and severe coughing that accompanied with thick mucus accumulation inside the airways.

Common whooping cough treatment

The treatment of whooping cough will depend on who get the disease. If it affect to infants then hospitalized are necessary, severe patient usually receive intravenous fluid and food. Meanwhile treatment for adult or older children can be managed at home with regular health practitioner monitoring.

The most common medical drugs as a part of whooping cough treatment are antibiotics. This drug will eliminate the presence of the bacteria that causing whooping cough. Family member of the patient may also receive antibiotics as preventive treatment to contain the germ spreading. To relieve other symptoms such as thick mucus inside patient’s airways, the doctor may recommend cough suppressant drugs. Vitamins and supplement may be also prescribed to speed up the recovery time.

How to prevent whooping cough?

The most common step to block or prevent whooping cough is using vaccination. The pertussis vaccine often is given as a combination with other vaccine such as tetanus and diphtheria. The doctor recommends someone to get the vaccine during infancy. A series of vaccine injection is given to children when they are in: 2 months of ages, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years are strongly recommended to receive the vaccine.

The risk of receiving a whooping cough treatment becomes lower for those who receive whooping cough vaccine during their infancy period.