Whooping Cough
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It is a highly infectious childhood disease caused by Bordetella pertussis. It is most severe in young infants who have not yet been immunized
Clinical presentation
- Paroxysmal cough associated with a whoop
- Fever
- Nasal discharge
Non-pharmacological Treatment
- Place the child head down and prone, or on the side, to prevent any inhaling of vomitus and to aid expectoration of secretions.
- Care for the airway but avoid, as far as possible, any procedure that could trigger coughing, such as application of suction, throat examination
- Do not give cough suppressants, sedatives, mucolytic agents or anti-histamines
- If the child has fever (>38.5°C) give paracetamol
- Encourage breastfeeding or oral fluids
- Whooping cough is preventable by immunization with pertussis vaccine contained in DPT-HepB-Hib vaccine at week 6, 10 and 14.
Oxygen
- Give oxygen to children who have spells of apnoea or cyanosis, or severe paroxysms of coughing.
- Use nasal prongs, not a nasopharyngeal catheter or nasal catheter which can provoke coughing.
Pharmacological Treatment
A: erythromycin (PO) 12.5 mg/kg 6hourly for 10days.
This does not shorten the illness but reduces the period of infectiousness.
If there is fever:
In children older than age 2 months:
A: trimethoprim + sulfamethoxazole (FDC) (PO) 8mg+40mg/kg 12hourly