Cough with whooping cough differs from the manifestations of other respiratory diseases. It is specific, paroxysmal, and most often affects children from 3 to 7 years old.
Unfortunately, previous illness and whooping cough vaccinations do not provide a 100% guarantee of protection against re-infection. Immunity after an illness is developed for a maximum of 5 years, and the effect of the vaccine ends after 12 years. Even an adult can get sick.
The younger the patient, the worse the disease is tolerated and the higher the risk of serious complications.
How to distinguish whooping cough from a regular cough
Whooping cough is a bacterial infection caused by the pathogen Bordetella pertussis. After the pathogen enters the body, it affects the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract.
The bacteria produce a toxin that provokes severe bronchospasm.
The cough center begins to be intensely and continuously irritated, resulting in uncontrollable attacks.
The incubation period lasts on average 14 days. Symptoms in children with whooping cough directly depend on the stage of the disease:
- Catarrhal period, during which there is an active spread of bacteria in the body. The first signs of whooping cough are similar to the symptoms of ARVI. Accompanied by cough, slight increase in temperature, loss of appetite. In this case, the child’s cough is obsessive, dry, and cannot be treated.
- The paroxysmal (spasmodic) stage is the peak of the disease. Whooping cough becomes paroxysmal, painful, hysterical, and begins to sound differently. When you inhale, a whistling sound is heard. The patient begins to breathe deeply, after which another series of coughs occurs. During one attack, 3-8 episodes can occur. The face turns blue or red, the veins in the neck swell, the eyes water, the tongue sticks out. When the attack reaches its peak, respiratory arrest is possible (in 6-9% of cases it causes death, especially in young children). The spasm ends with the discharge of mucus or vomiting. Only after this does the patient feel better, and so on until the next attack.
- The resolution period is when symptoms progress in the opposite direction. Whooping cough lasts up to 2 months, during which the number of attacks decreases. The spasmodic nature of the cough is replaced by an ordinary one. If the body temperature was elevated, it decreases. Even after recovery, residual cough often persists for up to 6 months.
Whooping cough cough continues all day, but only gets worse at night. The attacks may be short-lived or continuous, interfering with normal sleep. They are provoked by emotional stress and physical activity. If whooping cough is mild, the general condition between attacks remains normal.
In severe cases of the disease, the child is lethargic, tired, swelling and hemorrhages appear on the face, and the sclera of the eyes turn red.
The severity of the disease is determined by the number of attacks per day:
- for mild cases - from 1 to 15 episodes;
- with average - approximately 15-25;
- in severe cases, it varies between 30-60.
Cough with whooping cough differs from usual not only in symptoms. To make an accurate diagnosis, a PCR analysis is performed (in the first 3 weeks of the disease), and after that the blood is examined for specific immunoglobulins. If their number is exceeded 4 times, this indicates whooping cough.
What is the danger of the disease
The younger the patient, the more severely he suffers from spasmodic cough. During attacks, the nose may bleed and capillaries in the eyes may burst. There is a high probability of such consequences:
- pleurisy;
- bronchitis;
- encephalopathy;
- inguinal or umbilical hernia;
- blockage of the bronchi and collapse of a section of the lung (atelectasis);
- acute pneumonia;
- convulsions or epileptic attacks.
There is a risk of hypoxia, which causes irreversible changes in the functioning of the central nervous system, in particular the brain.
How to relieve cough with whooping cough
Even now, cough due to whooping cough in children is long and difficult to treat. Patients under the age of six months, as well as people with severe signs of the disease, are subject to mandatory hospitalization. Coughing attacks must be treated using complex methods. Therapy involves diet, taking medications, and maintaining optimal living conditions. Treatment is aimed at:
- removal of pathogenic microorganisms from the body;
- reducing the frequency and severity of coughing attacks;
- alleviation of the negative consequences of oxygen starvation;
- prevention of complications.
You can help your child cope with whooping cough more easily if you follow these rules:
- The room must be maintained at a temperature of +15 to +16°C and a humidity of 50-60% using a humidifier.
- The child should be protected from psycho-emotional and physical stress.
- It is important to stick to your diet. If your baby is breastfed, you should put him to the breast as often as possible. If he cannot eat due to cough, feed him expressed milk using a pipette or a teaspoon. Older children should not eat hot food.
- It is useful to walk often and for a long time in the fresh air. The main thing is not to contact healthy children at this time.
- If a cough begins in a child lying in bed, he must be immediately raised or sat down.
- During an attack, you should not scare the child. We must try to distract him, for example, with cartoons or games.
If whooping cough is detected at a stage when there are no severe attacks yet, antibiotics are prescribed, namely Erythromycin. It is also used for preventive purposes if there are people with whooping cough in the family. It is capable of destroying bacteria at the reproduction stage.
To strengthen the body's resistance to whooping cough, gamma globulin is administered at the initial stage of the disease. Vitamins A, B, C are also prescribed.
To normalize the functioning of the nervous system, Glycine, tincture of motherwort, and valerian are prescribed. To reduce the likelihood of seizures, antispasmodics (No-spa, calcium gluconate) are used.
Antitussive medications do not have sufficient effect for whooping cough. They are given strictly after consulting a doctor. The most commonly prescribed cough medications are:
- to make sputum more liquid - Lazolvan, Ambrobene or Ambroxol syrup;
- a drug that stimulates secretion - Bromhexine;
- medicine for spasms of the respiratory tract - Eufillin;
- a remedy for reducing the excitability of the cough center - Sinekod.
Antihistamines (Zirtec, Suprastin) help stop attacks during whooping cough, and in severe cases - tranquilizers (Relanium, Seduxen). You can reduce the frequency of spasms and reduce the risk of apnea using Aminazine (a psychotropic drug), which also has an antiemetic effect.
Folk remedies provide good help in relieving cough. They are not dangerous to the body, but before using them it is better to consult a doctor. The most effective:
- Herbal decoction of thyme, licorice root, dill seeds, anise fruits, pine buds. 4 tbsp. pour 200 ml of boiling water over the mixture of herbs, leave, take 100 ml three times a day.
- Black radish with honey. Can only be used if the child is not allergic to bee products. Cut out the top and center of the root vegetable, fill the hole with honey, leave until the juice drains (to do this, place the radish on a glass). You should drink 1 tsp of this juice. up to 5 times a day.
- Garlic with milk. Chop 6 cloves of garlic, pour in 200 ml of milk, bring to a boil. After cooling, add honey. The child should drink 1 tbsp of this decoction. 2 times a day.
To treat whooping cough, doctors allow aromatherapy sessions with fir essential oil.
If your baby is sick, it is recommended to moisten a napkin with oil (1-2 drops) and place it next to the baby’s head. You can also apply a couple of drops of oil to a hot frying pan and breathe in the vapor.
How long does whooping cough last?
Anyone who gets whooping cough is interested in how long the illness lasts. This is a serious infectious disease with a dangerously high risk of death.
The spasmodic period lasts on average 2-8 weeks, after which the number of attacks decreases. However, a child can cough for up to six months.
This is due to reduced immunity. Previously, whooping cough was called hundred-day whooping cough, precisely because of the duration of the spasms.
What to do if attacks do not go away after illness
If the spasms do not go away even after six months, you should consult a doctor who will prescribe an additional examination to rule out possible complications.
Treatment of cough after whooping cough is based on strengthening the immune system.
Sea air is beneficial for children who have recovered from illness. This is a strong distraction, as well as a good way to improve your health.
A course of magnetic therapy, oxygen therapy, and massage is prescribed for better sputum discharge and prevention of respiratory failure. It is useful to give your child vitamins - Multitabs, Pikovit, Vitamishki.
Source: https://tden.ru/health/kashel-pri-koklyushe
Cough With Whooping Cough (Causes of Occurrence)
Cough with whooping cough, causes and differences. Cough with whooping cough in children, as well as its treatment. Folk remedies for whooping cough and cough after whooping cough and its causes. Whooping cough is an acute infectious disease accompanied by inflammation in the upper respiratory organs.
If a person has a weakened immune system, he can become infected much faster if he comes into contact with a carrier of the disease. What kind of cough is associated with this disease? The cough with whooping cough is specific, paroxysmal and difficult to identify.
The disease mainly affects children from 3 to 7 years old, but in the absence of preventive vaccinations, adolescents and adults can also get sick.
Causes and differences
The disease is caused by the pertussis bacillus Bordetella pertussis. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets as a result of contact with a carrier of the disease. Children's bodies are more often exposed to pathogenic microorganisms due to weak immunity. But even adults who have not been vaccinated can be affected by the pathology.
How to distinguish whooping cough from a regular cough? At first, the cough associated with whooping cough is mild, so most people do not pay enough attention to it. Many people begin to worry only when they experience prolonged coughing attacks.
Due to the mentioned peculiarities of the course of the disease, a person with whooping cough is often isolated very late, having time to infect others. Having entered the human body, the pathogenic bacterium settles on the respiratory organs (fixes on the walls).
Next, the causative agent of the disease affects the bronchial branches, and the patient experiences the first symptoms of intoxication.
If we compare whooping cough with a regular cough, then in the second case the cough goes away quickly (lasts 7-14 days). Appears as a result of irritation of the respiratory tract.
Symptoms
Usually the disease lasts 1.5-2 months. But often the course of the disease becomes more complicated and can last up to 3 months. Symptoms of whooping cough are:
- the appearance of cough and runny nose;
- increase in temperature;
- fatigue;
- muscle and headache;
- lymph nodes enlarge;
- loss of appetite.
Whooping cough begins as an ordinary illness - a slight fever, snot and a slight cough. However, 2 weeks pass, and the cough continues to increase, his attacks are repeated up to 50 times a day, and the painful cough continues for another 4 weeks. During a coughing attack, inhalation is difficult, secretion occurs, the child is excited, the face is cyanotic, the veins of the neck are dilated, the tongue protrudes from the mouth.
Treatment
There are no drugs to cure typical whooping cough. And the problem is not the absence of a substance that can have a harmful effect on bacteria. On the contrary, they do not produce resistance to bactericidal substances; they can be affected by antibiotics of various groups.
The whole point is the “insidiousness” of whooping cough: most often, the period is missed when it was possible to prevent the formation of the disease by prescribing antibiotics. There is a medicine, but they do not manage to give it in a timely manner. What is the treatment for cough with whooping cough?
We are talking about the initial stage of whooping cough, the medical manifestations of which are hidden under acute respiratory viral infections. And, as is well known, antibiotics have no effect on viruses, so they are not detected at this stage of whooping cough, which is extremely rarely recognized.
But antibiotic therapy is still necessary for children to prevent the formation of complications.
It is very difficult to treat a cough during attacks. In order to thin the mucus and prevent obstruction (blockage) of the bronchi by thick mucus, expectorants and mucus-thinning substances are used.
Treatment of children under 4 months and with difficult whooping cough is carried out in a hospital. All other patients are treated on an outpatient basis. You can relieve attacks by walking in the air; especially near bodies of water, attacks occur less frequently. The apartment needs to be periodically ventilated and humidified.
If a child is sick, then it is necessary to distract him from the disease. Practice has confirmed that the formation of new foci of excitation in the brain contributes to less severe attacks.
The cough during the formation of whooping cough is special; it is difficult to confuse it with another disease. But it only occurs when it is no longer possible to stop the disease. Coughing attacks can torment the patient for quite a long time. It is difficult to cure this cough; you can only alleviate the patient’s situation.
Cough with whooping cough in children
It occurs almost always, but - an important note - not immediately. At first, with whooping cough, a cough in children can be confused with a common cold.
First stage
It rarely causes fear in the father and mother, who give the baby a “diagnosis” of ARVI or bronchitis and begin to discourage him. Such treatment does not give practically any result, however, the position of the tiny patient remains stable for 1-2 weeks. There is sputum, however, there is a lot of it.
Second stage
The most difficult and dangerous. Coughing attacks become stable, and if the child has not been vaccinated in a timely manner, they can last 2-3 months. How to cure a little patient? There are many treatment methods, but the decision must be made solely by the doctor, based on test results and the child’s well-being.
Flow options:
Easy. Whooping cough is relatively rare - no more than fifteen short attacks per day. The general condition of the children is satisfactory, so hospital treatment is not necessary.
Average. Coughing attacks can recur at any time. The child is restless and irritable, and the symptoms of a cold are often accompanied by difficulties with the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting).
Heavy. The situation of the children is very serious, and coughing attacks occur every half hour. Loss of consciousness, including cessation of breathing, is possible. It is practically impossible to cure children in everyday circumstances.
Treatment of whooping cough in children
Correctly chosen therapy promotes a speedy cure for children and minimizes the formation of unfavorable results.
So how to relieve cough from whooping cough in children?
- First of all, therapy begins with the administration of immunoglobulin.
- The room must be constantly ventilated.
- When the air temperature around the environment is not lower than -10 degrees, frequent walks are needed. It is necessary to avoid close contacts with other people to avoid the spread of infection.
- You can distract your child from coughing attacks, for example, by watching a cartoon or playing games.
- Eating frequently, in small doses.
Treatment of whooping cough in children begins with the prescription of antibiotics.
Erythromycin exhibits the best healing effect, having a detrimental effect on the bacterium and preventing the formation of cough attacks. Violation of the schedule for taking an antibiotic helps to reduce its effect and the ability to form complications.
Pertussis bacillus is immune to penicillin bactericidal agents.
Antihistamines. They reduce the number of attacks by relieving swelling of the larynx.
- Sedatives to reduce nervous excitability, which causes coughing.
- Remedies for the common cold.
- Physiotherapeutic methods.
- Oxygen therapy.
Antitussives, mucolytics and expectorants show absolutely no effect on the causative agent of the disease. However, for example, in the presence of complications such as bronchitis or pneumonia, medications from these groups are likely to be prescribed to alleviate the patient’s condition.
Homeopathic treatment for dry cough to reduce fever.
To relieve cough attacks of moderate severity, it is recommended to take antispasmodics.
Folk remedies against whooping cough
Along with medicinal substances, the disease is treated with folk remedies - they are accessible, not dangerous to the body and significantly simplify the course of the disease. It is necessary to include traditional methods and herbal medicine in the treatment plan after consultation with a doctor. Only a specialist can assess the severity of the disease and choose a method that is suitable for the patient. Let's consider folk remedies against whooping cough and their preparation:
- Radish juice with honey. Mix radish juice (dark) with honey and give your child a teaspoon every day. up to 5 times a day. This kind of recipe also has an anti-inflammatory effect in other similar diseases.
- Garlic. Grind 6 cloves, pour a glass of milk, put on fire and bring to a boil. Then strain and add honey. Give your baby a tablespoon a couple of times during the day.
- Collection of herbs. The disease is treated using different plants. Mix in equal quantities: chopped licorice roots, thyme, anise, pine buds, dill seeds.
You need to take 4 tsp. collection and add 100 grams of water. Then the product is placed on the stove, brought to a boil, and then boiled for another 3 minutes. The broth must cool, and then it can be strained. Take half a glass 3 times a day.
Cough after whooping cough
After a person has recovered, he may still have a cough for a long period. Cough after whooping cough lasts for about a year, especially when immunity is reduced.
This manifestation can take on an allergic or asthmatic appearance, and it is preferable to carry out an examination in order to eliminate the formation of delayed complications.
This condition can be explained by the fact that during the period of illness the cough center was very irritated, and even after recovery, the overexcited cells will continue to respond with a cough to various irritants for a long time. During this period, it is necessary to protect a person from infectious respiratory diseases.
Cough With Whooping Cough (Causes of Occurrence) Link to main publication 
Source: https://kashlya-net.ru/kashel/kashel-pri-koklyushe
What is a cough like with whooping cough, how to distinguish it from a regular cough
Whooping cough is a highly contagious infectious disease. In the absence of good immunity, infection occurs in almost 100% of cases through contact with a carrier of the pathogen .
The cough associated with whooping cough is specific and paroxysmal, and it is difficult not to recognize it.
The disease mainly affects preschool children, but in the absence of preventive vaccinations, teenagers and adults can also get sick.
General characteristics of the disease
Whooping cough is caused by the bacteria Bordatella pertussis . The incubation period of the disease ranges from two days to two weeks. The pathogen is transmitted only by airborne droplets from a sick person to a healthy person. The illness lasts for at least 6 weeks. There are two types of this disease:
- Abortive - this type is characterized by a very sharp development. The patient feels a sore throat, after which a cough appears, and in this case there are no spasms.
- Atypical - in this case, coughing attacks are very rare, the temperature rarely rises to high levels.
After just a few days, some symptoms of this disease disappear without a trace. However, if a child or adult has a severe cough that is completely different from a normal cough, you should consult a doctor .
It must be remembered that whooping cough is a dangerous disease that, if not properly treated, can lead to various complications and even death.
Main features
- paroxysmal cough that often occurs at night;
- high body temperature;
- runny nose;
- atypical fatigue, pain in muscles and joints;
- pain in the back of the head and lymph nodes;
- lack of appetite.
The bacteria that cause whooping cough gradually weaken. By the end of the third week, the patient can no longer infect anyone , however, even during the intervening time period, many people around him become infected.
Popularly, whooping cough is called the hundred-day illness. This is how long an infected person’s cough lasts.
Stages of the disease
Cough with whooping cough is one of the most striking symptoms of this disease . Spasmodic cough develops gradually; doctors divide the disease into three stages.
1st stage
At the beginning of the disease, the cough is normal; it is completely no different from a cough during a respiratory infection. But it is during this period of time that a person is considered contagious and infects those people who do not have immunity to this disease.
It is almost impossible to recognize a whooping cough at this time; it is dry and occurs rarely . This stage lasts about 2 weeks; quite often doctors at this time diagnose acute respiratory infections or obstructive bronchitis.
At the same time, a person should be wary of the fact that the prescribed treatment has practically no effect.
2nd stage
At this time, all the characteristic signs of the disease appear. The patient develops a whooping cough that occurs in attacks . In unvaccinated people, such a cough can last for three long months. The paroxysmal stage of whooping cough is most severely experienced by infants. Cough due to whooping cough in young children can lead to respiratory arrest and disruption of the heart.
During this period of illness, a cough can be easily distinguished from the manifestations of ARVI. It is very hysterical, and the number of attacks depends entirely on the severity of the disease.
- Mild form – the number of attacks is no more than 15 times per day. In this case, the patient’s condition is not significantly disturbed, and the attacks do not last long.
- Moderate severity - the number of attacks per day can reach up to 25, and they last longer. The patient's general condition is severely disturbed, and sometimes vomiting occurs during attacks.
- Severe form - in this case, the patient’s condition is very poor; there can be up to 40 attacks per day. Each attack is prolonged, loss of consciousness or temporary cessation of breathing may occur.
The attacks may occur with short breaks, or they may be continuous. This condition develops unexpectedly, and sometimes there is a preliminary sore throat.
It is not difficult to distinguish such a cough - when exhaling, a series of cough impulses occur, which are interrupted by inhalation . When a person with whooping cough inhales, a whistling sound called a reprise can be heard.
The attack continues until viscous glassy sputum is coughed up, blocking the airways.
This cough is very dangerous for children under 1 year of age, as it can cause respiratory arrest.
Cough sounds before sputum are discharged have the appearance of a barking cough. In this case, the patient’s face swells and becomes red, the veins in the neck appear very clearly, and the tongue sticks out of the mouth. A cough attack can be triggered by the entry of an allergen into the respiratory tract or any stress on the body, no matter physical or mental.
Most often, such cough attacks are observed at night. At this time, cough shocks are especially difficult to bear, especially for young children.
The patient does not have the opportunity to rest normally, due to this, his energy is not replenished at night, and in the morning the person looks tired and exhausted. Over time, the condition only worsens, the patient becomes irritable and steadily loses weight.
In severe forms of the disease, cough attacks may cause vomiting, and blood vessels in the sclera of the eyes may burst. At this time, various complications may occur - bronchitis, pneumonia and encephalopathy.
Small children may experience umbilical hernias and nosebleeds due to severe tension.
3rd stage
The last stage of the disease is recovery, which can last a week or more . At this time, the symptoms of whooping cough gradually subside, the frequency of attacks decreases, the person’s general condition is restored, sleep and appetite improve.
Cough after illness
After a person has recovered, he may continue to have a cough for a long time. This phenomenon may be reminiscent of whooping cough for about a year, especially if immunity is severely reduced . This phenomenon may acquire an allergic or asthmatic nature; in this situation, it is advisable to conduct an appropriate examination to exclude the development of late complications.
This condition can be explained by the fact that during the illness the cough center was very irritated, and even after recovery, the overexcited cells will continue to cough for a long time to various irritants. At this time, it is necessary to protect a person from infectious diseases, especially respiratory ones.
Many people consider whooping cough to be exclusively a childhood disease, but this is not at all true. In the absence of immunity, adults can also get sick . The disease is accompanied by a painful, paroxysmal cough that can last for a long time.
Source: https://pulmono.ru/gorlo/koklyush/stadii-kashlya-pri-koklyushe
Cough with whooping cough in children and adults, the correct approach to treatment
Whooping cough is an infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Bordetella pertussis.
The disease is accompanied by characteristic clinical symptoms, which, if treated incorrectly or untimely, can be fatal.
Paroxysmal spasmodic cough with whooping cough remains a typical sign of pathology, allowing one to differentiate the infectious disease from other respiratory problems.
The main symptoms of whooping cough
The development of whooping cough is based on infection. The pathogen enters the human body through airborne droplets. The bacterium is first fixed to the mucous membrane of the trachea, where its primary reproduction occurs.
The incubation period can last 3-14 days. The patient at this stage may not feel the consequences of infection. Against the background of a continuing increase in the number of pathogenic particles in the respiratory tract, the patient experiences nonspecific symptoms associated with irritation of surface epithelial receptors:
- increased body temperature;
- dry cough;
- hoarseness of voice;
- weakness;
- sore throat.
These symptoms are characteristic of the catarrhal period of the disease. It is difficult to make an accurate diagnosis due to the non-specificity of clinical manifestations.
When a certain number of new bacteria are formed, the pathogen begins to produce a toxin, which further aggravates the clinical picture. The cough intensifies, acquiring typical properties characteristic of a particular disease.
The increase in symptoms is partially provoked by the influence of microbial waste products on the corresponding center in the brain. The patient's condition is progressively worsening.
The duration of the spasmodic period is from 3 to 8 weeks.
Over time, the cough weakens, marking the transition of the pathology to the convalescence stage. The patient's well-being improves. The immunity formed after suffering from whooping cough provides lifelong protection against the disease.
What is it like, cough with whooping cough?
Cough with whooping cough in adults and children remains a pathognomonic sign of the disease. The symptom occurs against the background of irritation of the corresponding receptors of the upper respiratory tract and additional stimulation of the cough center by Bordetella pertussis toxins.
Characteristics of cough with whooping cough:
How to distinguish a symptom of whooping cough from a regular cough? The bacterium that causes the described symptom disrupts the normal function of the ciliated epithelium, resulting in a change in the reflex.
Fact! The cough is characterized by repeated attacks on each exhalation, which ends with a sharp wheezing inhalation - a reprise.
The clinical picture is accompanied by an increase in the intensity of the symptom. The patient literally breaks down while trying to clear his throat. The patient may experience spasms in the throat, making it difficult to breathe and leading to the formation of small tears in the mucous membrane. At the height of the cough, the patient sometimes stops breathing, which in 6-9% of cases becomes the cause of death. Apnea is especially dangerous for young children.
Source: https://MyKashel.ru/lechenie/kashel-pri-koklyushe.html
How can you distinguish whooping cough from a regular cough in children and adults?
There are so many diseases in which the main symptom is that even highly specialized specialists cannot always make a diagnosis right away. The diseases and their symptoms are so similar that it is very easy to get confused and make an incorrect presumptive diagnosis. One of them is whooping cough.
The symptoms are so deceptive that 90% of people who experience them trigger the course and provoke complications of an already complex illness.
It is possible to distinguish the spasmodic reflex that provokes whooping cough from a regular cough at the initial stage. But additional diagnostics are always required for accurate diagnosis and therapeutic measures.
Whooping cough symptoms
Whooping cough is a disease caused not by a cold, but by a specific bacteria - Bordetella pertussis. Refers to infectious diseases. Has special clinical indicators of infection. In the absence of therapy, incorrect diagnosis and treatment, bacteria kill a person.
After the infection enters the body (by airborne droplets), bacteria are fixed on the trachea (mucous membrane), where their rapid multiplication begins.
The first signs of whooping cough appear after about 2 weeks. With an increase in bacteria on the mucous membrane. Symptoms of the disease become more clear. Occurs due to irritation of epithelial receptors. Signs of whooping cough are:
- soreness and then the appearance of hoarseness;
- dry cough;
- weakness and signs of intoxication;
- increased body temperature;
- sharp pain in the temporal and occipital parts;
- pain in muscles and joints;
- runny nose, refusal to eat.
But the primary symptoms are similar to some colds, which makes it difficult to clearly establish a diagnosis. Nonspecific clinical manifestations require additional confirmation.
The more pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria), the faster the intoxication (increase in toxins). The cough gets worse and the voice becomes hoarse.
The increasing dynamics are associated with the influence of microbes on the centers of the brain, and a person with whooping cough feels a deterioration in health. The spasmodic period lasts up to 8 weeks. Longer in case of weakened immunity.
Whooping cough is divided into types:
TypeDevelopmentCharacter of cough| Atypical | Passive. Symptoms are mild | Paroxysmal spasms are rare, and the cough is insignificant. Temperature is mostly normal without increase |
| Abortive | Sharp, swift. Symptoms are pronounced | Whooping cough appears after a tickling sensation. The spasms are subtle. Sounds like a dog barking |
Important! Whooping cough is more often diagnosed in children. But adults are no less susceptible to this disease. A special sign of infection is a cough, which differs sharply from the usual, since the sounds made by the patient are barking and hysterical.
In adults it rarely provokes vomiting. A child has a cough with vomiting at night - an indicator of infection.
The transition to the convalescence stage is marked by a decrease in cough and improvement in condition. The immune system forms protection (for life) in the event of a new whooping cough infection.
What kind of cough occurs during whooping cough?
A whooping cough does not appear immediately. The development of the disease can be divided into stages, in which cough will remain the main symptom of whooping cough infection. There are 3 stages in total.
Treatment of cough in a newborn
Initial stage or first
The symptoms are similar to acute respiratory infections or acute respiratory viral infections. A person, unaware of the infection, spreads bacteria and is contagious. Victims of whooping cough infection include people who are unvaccinated or have a weak protective function.
At this stage, additional diagnostics will help to distinguish whooping cough from a cold reflex. Duration up to 14 days.
The initial diagnosis is often chronic bronchitis or acute respiratory infection. The effectiveness of treatment with cough medications is low.
Second stage or peak of the disease
At this stage, the signs of whooping cough are obvious without additional examinations. The cough is paroxysmal. The duration of attacks increases at night. If the patient has not been vaccinated against whooping cough, the spasm will persist for a long time after the course of treatment (at least 3 months).
The disease is popularly called “hundred-day illness”, since the course of the disease does not exceed 100 days. In a vaccinated person, the disease goes away much faster. Difficult for infants to tolerate.
If a cough appears at this age, qualified help is required. Attempts to cure or relieve a spasmodic attack on your own lead to respiratory arrest, asphyxia, and problems with the cardiovascular system.
Form of severityWhat can a cough be like?Whooping cough-like cough is easy to distinguish from ARVI at the second stage. The severity of the course depends on the immune system. The course of whooping cough in the second phase of development is divided into additional forms:
| Lightweight | The temperature mostly does not rise, the attacks are short, no more than 10-15 times a day. More often at night |
| Average | The number of attacks increases to 20-25. The duration is longer. Cough more often at night. The patient feels exhausted, the temperature rises to 38 degrees. Cough is accompanied in 75% of cases by a gag reflex and nausea |
| Heavy | The cough is hysterical, barking. Possible loss of consciousness, swelling of the throat. The number of attacks is 35-40. Respiratory arrest may occur (occurs in children under 6 years of age) with death. |
The main thing to remember is that whooping cough often causes a wet cough. To be precise, the glassy mucus comes out at the end of the attack. The consistency is viscous. May block the airway.
Third stage or recovery
A sick person is no longer a carrier of pathogenic microbes. But there is a cough, it is a residual product. Therapy continues until the reflex disappears completely.
Diagnostics
It’s worth warning right away that vaccination does not provide 100% protection against the disease. Therefore, you should not try to relieve a cough with medication, or treat a person or child with a suspicious cough on your own.
It is necessary to immediately go to the hospital for examination and diagnosis. As already mentioned, at the primary stage, whooping cough differs little from a cold. Even at the second stage of development, an erroneous diagnosis of pneumonia can be made.
During the first visit to the doctor, special attention is paid to the complaints of the patient or parents. So don't miss the slightest detail. For completeness of information, you can write it down.
Listening to the airways is recommended during the first attack. Whooping cough differs from colds in that a sound resembling a crowing appears in the chest during inhalation/exhalation.
If a wet cough lasts more than a week, and syrups and other medications do not relieve symptoms, then the results of the examination for whooping cough may also be positive. They just missed the first stage, the initial stage.
To accurately diagnose the disease, you will need to take the following tests and examinations:
- collection of sputum and mucus from the back of the throat;
- clinical tests of urine, blood, feces;
- serological testing will help identify specific antibodies.
For an adult, radiography is used. The photo of the lungs and chest clearly shows changes in emphysema. In the presence of chronic diseases, additional diagnostic measures will be required.
Treatment options
Whooping cough cough is not treated with cough syrups or tablets alone. Antibacterial therapy is required here. No folk recipes will help if additionally introduced into the treatment regimen without antibacterial drugs.
Whooping cough requires a mandatory stay in the hospital in order not only to select the necessary regimen, but also to stop attacks in a timely manner. This applies not only to infants, but also to those who cannot say for sure whether they were vaccinated or not in childhood.
With initial and moderate degrees of infection, sick people with accurate information about the vaccine administered before infection can undergo a therapeutic course at home. Visiting kindergartens, schools and other places with large crowds of people is prohibited.
During the therapy period, the patient is provided with complete rest, proper nutrition and rest. The appearance of irritants that cause coughing is not allowed. Plus, the room is regularly ventilated. The air temperature is controlled.
Medicines
It will be easy to treat whooping cough at the initial stage of development. The second and last ones are a little more difficult, but taking into account the correct selection of medications, the task of relieving symptoms is simplified.
Antibacterial therapy requires the administration of special medications. Not all antibacterial substances help. Therefore, the disease can continue and recur. Only a doctor can determine which remedy will help destroy it.
Thus, the penicillin group of antibiotics is not capable of destroying pathogenic microorganisms. The selection takes place individually for the patient.
When prescribing, they rely not only on the stage of development of whooping cough, but also on the patient’s age, chronic diseases, and tolerance to certain substances.
In 90% of cases, erythromycin is suitable, which kills the whooping cough bacillus in less than a week. In this case, the cough (obstructive) remains for a long time.
Gamma globulin is prescribed together with antibacterial therapy (intramuscular injection for 3 days). It is necessary to use a new regimen to treat the irritated cough center.
Mucolytics, expectorants and antitussives are suitable for this. The appointment takes place individually. A drug like Sinekod is suitable for everyone. Has a small number of contraindications. Must be used for inhalation.
To increase immunity and reduce symptoms, you can listen to the recommendations of herbalists. Traditional medicine offers several methods. Mostly optional. Not used for acute illness:
- Radish with honey (black). Softens the mucous membrane, removes soreness, pain, and inflammation. Hoarseness also goes away.
- Elderberry-based tinctures (flowers only). A dry cough develops into a wet type, which improves the patient’s condition and promotes the rapid destruction of germs.
- Apricot kernels ground into powder. Convert to emulsion.
Causes and methods of treating wet cough in a child
Traditional methods of therapy significantly increase the chances of recovery without consequences. But you need to listen to experts. Before starting to introduce alternative therapy prescriptions into your regimen, you should consult with your doctor.
Not all drugs can reduce cough, can be combined with antibiotics, or taken during pregnancy or childhood.
Diet
Mainly, during illness, you should not give irritating foods or spices. Salt, sour or sweet will not do any good. Doctors advise taking all meals in small portions. Broth (lean meat) is especially good for the body.
After relieving a severe cough, you need to introduce fresh vegetables and fruits into your diet. The best option is in the form of purees, mousses, juices. Dietary nutrition will also help after eliminating whooping cough to increase the body’s protective functions.
Indoor humidity
It doesn't matter who has whooping cough. In addition to proper nutrition and hygiene, one must remember to ventilate and provide the patient with fresh air.
Hydration will relieve tension and prevent attacks. To maintain the permissible temperature (no more than 20 degrees) and average humidity, it is recommended to purchase humidifiers and temperature controllers.
Cough control measures for whooping cough in children
The use of dosage forms independently when a child develops whooping cough is prohibited. Only a doctor can select the necessary medications. Children from birth to 6 years of age require hospitalization. Under the supervision of doctors, whooping cough symptoms will not return, and attacks will quickly stop.
Treatment in a hospital is due to the difficult selection of antibiotics in childhood.
Humidification and ventilation of the room is mandatory if the child is at home. Diet with a clear view of the regularity of intake: at least 5-6 times a day in small doses.
Drinking more is recommended. To improve the condition, give herbal infusions (only in consultation with your doctor).
Procedures such as warming (cupping, mustard plasters) are prohibited. During the entire period of treatment, it is advisable to distract the child from the disease. To do this, play, read, draw, watch cartoons as much as possible. When attention is distracted, coughing and whooping cough attacks in children are reduced.
Complications
Failure to seek help in a timely manner leads to complications and death (in the complete absence of therapy). Often, symptoms of whooping cough may return (if the regimen is incorrectly chosen or the medication is stopped early).
But the most dangerous complication is suffocation. Whooping cough can also develop into pneumonia (without antibiotic therapy). If the transition has occurred, therapeutic methods become more complicated.
Complications include seizures. Occurs during an intense reflex. It is necessary to take anticonvulsants.
Prevention measures
As a preventative measure, parents should vaccinate their children strictly according to the specified vaccination schedule (offered at the hospital). Vaccinations do not provide complete safety, but they do provide the opportunity to suffer from mild whooping cough if infected and avoid consequences (pneumonia, death).
It is impossible to completely prevent infection. But it is advisable to appear as little as possible in places with a lot of people (especially children). If symptoms appear, you should immediately contact the hospital for the necessary examination.
Source: https://kasheloff.ru/u-rebenka/pri-koklyushe
Characteristics of cough against the background of whooping cough and methods of its treatment
Whooping cough is an infectious pathology of bacterial etiology. The development of the disease is caused by the bacterium Bordetella Pertussis. The main source of whooping cough infection is the carrier of the infection. The disease is transmitted by airborne droplets as a result of contact with an infected person.
More often, cases of whooping cough are reported among infants and young children. For a child under the age of 1 year, the disease can be extremely dangerous to life and health. The child's body is most susceptible to infection by pathogenic bacteria due to the characteristics of the immune system. However, the pathology can affect adolescents or adults who have not been vaccinated.
The risk of contracting an infection increases if the disease in a person with whooping cough occurs in an erased or atypical form. It is quite difficult to prevent the development of the disease and the infection of a large number of people due to the invisibility of the disease during the incubation period and the mild severity of symptoms at the initial stage.
At first, the cough with whooping cough is not pronounced enough, so it is not uncommon for the patient to ignore the first symptoms of the disease.
Many people begin to worry only when they experience prolonged coughing attacks and difficulty breathing.
Due to the listed features of the course of the disease, a person with whooping cough is often isolated quite late, having time to spread the pathogens among healthy people.
Once in the body of a healthy person, the pathogenic bacterium is localized in the respiratory tract, attaching to the walls. Then the causative agent of the disease infects the terminal branches of the bronchial tree, and the patient begins to show the first signs of intoxication.
Important: maternal antibodies do not provide innate immunity against whooping cough, so even a newborn can get sick. Persistent immunity is developed after an illness, which lasts for life.
Possible complications
Whooping cough is a very dangerous disease. Pathology can lead to such serious complications and dire consequences as:
- Dehydration.
- Temporary delay or cessation of breathing.
- Pneumonia;
- Significant weight loss due to vomiting.
- Brain dysfunction;
- Kidney pathologies, up to failure followed by dialysis.
Good to know: Parawhooping cough
The disease can also lead to:
- spontaneous miscarriage or delay in fetal development;
- otitis media;
- seizures;
- bruises on the ribs;
- nosebleeds;
- swelling of the face;
- ulcers on the tongue and in the mouth.
Complications such as brain problems or pneumonia that occur as a result of whooping cough can be fatal, especially in infants. In adults, complications occur less frequently than in children, but such cases do occur.
Symptoms
Usually the disease lasts 1.5-2 months. However, the course of the disease is often complicated and can last up to 3 months. The disease most often manifests itself:
- cough;
- runny nose;
- increased body temperature;
- general malaise and fatigue;
- muscle pain;
- headache;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- loss of appetite.
A characteristic paroxysmal cough is the main symptom of whooping cough. The development of spasmodic cough with whooping cough goes through several stages:
- Catarrhal or prodromal stage. The initial period of the disease lasts up to 3 weeks. Initially, a runny nose appears, a frequent and dry cough, and the temperature may rise slightly. The nature of the cough is not intense, reminiscent of a cold. Since at this stage the symptoms of the disease are not clearly expressed, the patient is often given other diagnoses: bronchitis, ARVI. An infected person can continue to spread the infection to healthy people. At the catarrhal stage, whooping cough is most contagious. After 2 weeks, the cough becomes stronger, especially at night. When the cough acquires a paroxysmal form, the disease progresses to the next stage.
- Paroxysmal period. This period can last 2-3 months. The cough takes on a characteristic form - paroxysmal or spasmodic. This cough is so specific that it is impossible to confuse it with a sign of another disease.
Source: https://yazdorov.win/prostuda/harakteristika-kashlya-na-fone-koklyusha-i-sposoby-ego-lecheniya.html
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