How To Combat Whooping Cough
An age-old sickness is popping up in headlines all over the country.
Whooping cough, the sickness that is particularly devastating for the youngest of us all, is back in full force. It claimed a little premature infant in Pocatello last week.
It’s a heavy cough, getting it’s name from the sucking sound infants make when struggling to get air while infected with the disease.
It can last for months and it strikes adults most often.
We can carry the bacterial disease and infect our own little ones without even knowing it.
The sound of whooping cough has frequently been posted on YouTube by concerned parents. It’s not pretty and its effects can be even uglier.
When we think of whooping cough or pertussis, babies usually come to mind. Registered nurse Amy Gamett said adults can get it too, although the symptoms may be a little different.
“Coughs, sneezing, runny eyes, high fever and not feeling well are all symptoms, but then it just typically doesn’t go away,” said Gamett.
Actress Keri Russell took pertussis national as a new mother in a public service announcement.
“I got vaccinated to protect my child,” said Russell.
Any adult in contact with infants and small children should get the pertussis booster. That includes parents, grandparents and even daycare providers.
So, who all needs the vaccine and when do you get it?
According to the local health department, vaccinations are for everyone and should start as early as two months, with more shots coming at 4 months, 6 months, a year old and at kindergarten age.
Idaho law now requires kids to get vaccinated again before seventh grade. Gammet encourages one more shot towards the end of high school and a booster as an adult.
The health department attributes the sudden influx of whooping cough cases to parents not following the recommended vaccination schedule.
Even though infants can start on the vaccine as early as two months, it takes months to build up proper immunity.
You can get the pertussis or Tdap vaccine at your local health department.
