SICKNESS IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN: WHOOPING-COUGH
Whooping-cough starts like an ordinary cold, with a runny nose and perhaps a little dry cough. Sometimes hours, days, or even weeks go by and nothing further seems to happen. But then the child feels chilled; he begins to vomit; his temperature rises; and the coughing spells become longer. Soon he is coughing a great deal, about eight to ten times without catching his breath. When he finally does, it is with a long, noisy intake of breath, which is where the whoop comes in.
The average case of whooping-cough lasts about six weeks. Whooping-cough is a dangerous disease, especially for infants. It can be a killer because it paves the way for pneumonia.
During the first two weeks, whooping-cough is very contagious. Be very careful to see that it is not spread to other children. Temporary protection to exposed children or adults in the household who have not been previously immunized against whooping-cough is produced by giving a special type of gamma globulin. A booster dose of immunizing vaccine can be given to those previously immunized.
Most cases are mild enough to be cared for in the home. Severe cases, especially in infants, require hospital care. Be sure to call your doctor when you suspect whooping-cough, and remember whooping-cough can be prevented by immunization in early infancy.
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