Is it just a cough? Signs you might have whooping cough

That nagging cough you just can’t shake might be more than a lingering cold symptom. It could be a sign of whooping cough.

Also known as pertussis, whooping cough is a highly contagious respiratory illness that’s on the rise in our communities.

“Cases of whooping cough naturally go up and down, but part of the reason we’re seeing a resurgence is the decline in routine vaccination rates among children,” says Christine Bozich, MD, medical director of the MultiCare Mary Bridge Children’s Urgent Care Network.

Here’s how to spot the signs of whooping cough, how to prevent it and what to do if you think you have it.

What is whooping cough?

Whooping cough is a type of bacterial infection. It spreads when respiratory secretions like coughs and sneezes send droplets into the air. You can get infected by breathing in these droplets.

A person with whooping cough can be contagious for up to 14 days after symptoms first appear (without treatment).

“It’s most commonly spread during the early stages when symptoms are mild,” Dr. Bozich says. “People may think they just have a cold or allergies and don’t realize they’re contagious.”

Symptoms of whooping cough

Whooping cough often affects children, but anyone can get it, including teens and adults. Common symptoms may include:

• Clear runny nose
• Congestion
• Sneezing
• Watery eyes
• Low-grade fever
• Mild cough that becomes more severe
• Difficulty breathing (in babies)

“The telltale sign of pertussis is the cough,” Dr. Bozich says. “With the common cold, a cough will start to improve after several days. With pertussis, the cough just gets worse and worse. Pertussis is sometimes referred to as ‘the 100-day cough’ because it can linger for weeks or months.”

A person with whooping cough can experience violent coughing spells, sometimes leading to vomiting afterward. You may also hear the characteristic “whooping” sound when someone gasps for breath after a coughing fit — though this is more common among those who haven’t been vaccinated.

“Vaccination isn’t just about protecting ourselves — it’s also about protecting our community,” Dr. Bozich says. “Infants less than 2 months old are too young to get vaccinated, and they’re the ones most at risk for severe complications. Their only protection is us — high vaccination rates lower the prevalence of the illness, making it less likely they’ll be exposed.”

Young children and people with compromised immune systems are at risk for severe complications from whooping cough, including pneumonia, seizures, pulmonary hypertension and even death.

Approximately one in three babies under the age of 1 who get whooping cough require hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

How to prevent whooping cough

The best way to prevent whooping cough is through vaccination. Immunity tends to lessen over time, so it’s possible to still get whooping cough despite being vaccinated. However, those who are vaccinated have much milder symptoms if they do get sick and are less likely to spread the illness to others.

Two vaccines protect against whooping cough, as well as tetanus and diphtheria: DTaP and Tdap. Here are recommendations for getting these vaccines:

• Children receive an initial five-shot series of DTaP by the time they’re 6 years old, with the first dose at 2 months
• Preteens receive a single dose of Tdap between the ages of 11-12
• Those who are pregnant receive a single dose of Tdap during the third trimester (with every pregnancy)
• Adults receive a single dose of Tdap every 10 years

Treatment for whooping cough

If you think you have whooping cough, or you know you’ve been exposed, visit an urgent care clinic or contact your primary care provider.

In addition to asking about your symptoms, your provider may swab your throat or nose to confirm whether you have whooping cough. This illness is typically treated with antibiotics, though it may depend on your age and when symptoms first appeared. (If you’ve had a confirmed exposure and don’t have symptoms, you may be prescribed preventive antibiotics.)

“Antibiotics can help prevent complications, ease symptoms and reduce the risk of infecting others,” Dr. Bozich says.  “To prevent complications, it’s best to start antibiotics within the first several weeks of infection.”

If you’re prescribed antibiotics, finish the entire course of treatment, even when symptoms improve. Stopping early can cause the infection to return.

Once you’ve been on an antibiotic for five full days, you are no longer contagious, Dr. Bozich shares.

How to treat whooping cough at home

Beyond taking any prescribed medications, these tips can help support recovery at home for you or your child:

• Rest and hydrate. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated; watch for signs of dehydration in young children, which can include dry lips and mouth, crying without tears and infrequent urination.
• Use a humidifier. A cool-mist humidifier can help relieve symptoms and thin mucus.
• Try honey. Mix honey with warm liquids to ease coughing (but do not give honey to children under the age of 1).
• Avoid over-the-counter cough medicines. These are unlikely to help ease whooping cough symptoms. Cough medicines should never be given to children under 4.

Eat frequent small meals. Consuming small quantities of food every few hours rather than eating fewer, larger meals can help prevent vomiting.