Now that you're a new mom, you've probably noticed that worrying about your precious baby is part of the job description. And this is especially true when it comes to your child's health. Here's some reassuring news: The number of whooping cough cases (aka pertussis, a contagious respiratory disease caused by a bacterial infection) is not as high among babies and little kids as it used to be, thanks to a vaccine that immunizes them against it (and other infections). But since it's on the rise in teenagers and adults, who can catch the disease and pass it on without knowing it, your baby's at risk until he gets some immunity to the disease (it usually takes a few doses of the childhood vaccine for an infant to build up high levels of protection). If you got the Tdap vaccine while pregnant — which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for all women between weeks 27 to 36 of each pregnancy — your baby was born with some protection from his very first breath. But even if you didn’t, there are still a number of ways to protect your newborn against whooping cough. Just follow these simple steps and let yourself rest easy:
Get your baby vaccinated. The absolute best way to protect against whooping cough in infants 2 months and older is to make sure your baby gets vaccinated with the DTaP vaccine, which protects against diphtheria (a bacterial infection that causes breathing problems, among other things), tetanus (a bacterial infection that can enter the body through wounds) and pertussis (aka whooping cough). The DTaP vaccination is actually a series of five shots, given when your baby is 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15 to 18 months and 4 to 6 years old. Experts say that it takes at least three shots until your child builds up enough immunity against whooping cough — but he should get all five to make sure he continues to have protection.
Make sure that you’re up to date on your vaccines. Because your little one won’t be well protected from whooping cough until he’s had at least three shots of DTaP, it’s important that you and anyone else who’s in close contact with your child — your partner, the baby’s grandparents, even the teenager next door who occasionally lends you a hand — has been vaccinated against whooping cough. What if you were vaccinated when you were a kid? You still need a booster shot because immunity from whooping cough (and tetanus and diphtheria) wanes after several years. In fact, experts recommend that everyone aged 11 and older get an adult version of the vaccine — a booster vaccine called Tdap — to make sure they’re protected against pertussis, tetanus and diphtheria. So if you haven’t gotten your shot in the arm yet, schedule one right away — and tell everyone around you and your baby to do the same.
Know the symptoms of whooping cough in infants and in adults. Be prepared to act fast if you or your child does come down with whooping cough — because the sooner it’s treated, the better off you’ll all be. Signs include:
- Cold-like symptoms that last a week to 10 days — a runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and a slight cough.
- Afterward, the coughing can become severe, resulting in a number of dry coughs in a row — often with a high-pitched “whoop” sound as the person inhales — that can lead to vomiting, trouble breathing or even a cracked rib. The whoop sound is more common in kids than in adults, but some children don’t whoop either — which can sometimes make it tricky to diagnose whooping cough in infants and adults.
- In infants, be on the lookout for long pauses in breathing, which can happen with or without coughing.
Call the doctor if you suspect whooping cough. Treatment includes antibiotics, which shortens the duration of the illness and prevents it from spreading to others. Most teens and adults usually recover from whooping cough without any problem, but whooping cough in infants can lead to complications like pneumonia, dehydration, seizures and worse, and it may need to be treated at the hospital.
Steer clear of anyone who’s sick. Your newborn’s immune system is vulnerable to all sorts of germs, so try to keep him from getting exposed to the kind that will make him sick. Don’t hesitate to ask any well-meaning but feeling-under-the-weather friends or relatives to postpone visits to your house until they’re completely recovered (don’t worry, they won’t think you’re being paranoid!). Wash your hands religiously and don’t be shy about asking people to wash theirs before they pick up your baby. If possible, try to limit the time your little guy spends with young kids since they often carry germs even if they aren’t showing symptoms yet.
Here’s to keeping your child (and everyone in your family!) healthy through immunizations.