Baby Infectious Disease - Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Whooping cough's continued presence is partly due to the fact that immunization offers only 70-80 % protection, but is mostly because there is a rise in the number of families not immunizing against it. If your baby has been immunized and does get whooping cough, the illness is usually milder and less likely to cause complications.

Whooping cough starts with a runny nose and progress over a week to include a dry cough. The cough then develops into bouts of repeated coughing, sometimes followed by a 'whoop' or by vomiting.

Small babies tend not to 'whoop' but have difficulty breathing and 'blue' attacks. They are at great risk and usually need hospital care so they can have round the clock attention. Even a mild case lasts six weeks.

Read more on Baby Infectious Diseases : Chicken pox, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Roseola, Whooping Cough