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By ULY CLINIC

 

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. 

 

Diagnostic Criteria

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  • Paroxysmal cough associated with a whoop 

  • Fever

  • Nasal discharge  

 

Non-Pharmacological Treatment

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  • 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 (>38.50C) 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.  

 

Pharmacological Treatment

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  • Erythromycin (12.5 mg/kg 6 hourly) for 10 days. 

 

This does not shorten the illness but reduces the period of infectiousness

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If there is fever give

 

  • Cotrimoxazole (PO) 18 mg/kg 12 hourly for 5 days to treat possible secondary pneumonia 

 

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.

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Updated on, 2.11.2020

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References

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1. STG 

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