Precautions against whooping cough recommended
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Whooping cough is on the rise in Lake County, and health officials say that although following the old adage of “Cover your mouth when you cough, and wash your hands,” is vital, there are a few more things you should know about the illness.
“It’s hitting everybody; we’re seeing this hit all age groups, not just children,” public health nurse Jamie Lynch said.
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is highly contagious and spreads through droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing. The illness starts out like a common cold, Lynch said, and that’s why most people don’t realize what they have until they’re really sick. Early symptoms can last for a week or two and usually include a runny nose, low-grade fever, mild occasional cough, and apnea (a pause in breathing in infants). Anyone who’s had a lingering cough for a week or two should get it checked out before symptoms become more severe.
“They should really go in and see their doctor,” Lynch said.
Over time, pertussis symptoms worsen to a severe cough that usually includes a long series of coughs or coughing fits, followed by a whooping noise. While older children, adults and very young infants may not develop the “whoop,” they may have difficulty catching their breath or may vomit after a coughing fit, Lynch noted. There is generally no fever, and the cough is often worse at night and not responsive to cough medicines. These coughing fits can go on for up to 10 weeks or more.
Making sure you and your children are up to date on immunizations is an important preventative step in dealing with pertussis. Infants and toddlers need four shots (DTaP) against whooping cough and a booster before starting kindergarten, and it’s recommended that adults get a one-time booster of “Tdap,” Lynch said.
While no vaccines are 100 percent effective, children who have been immunized and still get sick with whooping cough have “much milder cases,” Lynch said.
Pertussis cases tend to increase about every three years, Lynch said; the last time there was a “significant number” in Western Montana was in 2008. As of Nov. 10, 16 cases of pertussis had been found in Lake County.
“This year, it’s back up, and that’s statewide,” Lynch said.
Lake County Public Health and CSKT Tribal Health are reminding the public to:
• Make sure all children are up to date on their immunizations, and that children entering the seventh grade have their required tetanus booster, which comes in the form of a “Tdap shot” containing pertussis.
• Get a one-time booster dose of Tdap for adults. This is especially important for people who will be in contact with infants under 1 year.
• Cover your cough and wash your hands a lot!
• Stay home if you are sick, and keep your children home when they are sick.
• Contact a doctor without delay if you or your child comes down with cold symptoms and a cough that becomes worse over one to two weeks.
Call the Lake County Health Department at 406-883-7288 or CSKT Tribal Health at 676-0137 with questions or concerns.
