This infectious disease mainly affects preschool children. The virus (gram-negative bacillus) is transmitted by air from another recently infected child through close contact. Let's see what pertussis is in children and how to treat it.
Why whooping cough is dangerous for children
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract occurs almost instantly. And if you do not start treatment, the infection will develop very quickly, causing serious consequences:
• oppression of the respiratory center;
• convulsive coughing attacks of an allergic nature;
• damage to the central nervous system.
Symptoms of whooping cough in a child
At the beginning of the infection, the child feels weak and unwell. At first, he has a runny nose and cough, and his voice becomes hoarse. Within a week, symptoms begin to increase. The cough becomes drier and deeper. The same dry rales appear in the lungs. At the same time, the temperature is low and can last for about 10 days.
The further, the more coughing attacks begin to acquire a convulsive character, where there is a short-term breath holding. This can provoke hyperemia, swelling of the face. With a deep breath after coughing, the child may bite the tip of the tongue until it bleeds.
The body of young children is not always able to cope with such attacks, manifesting itself in the following phenomena:
• nosebleeds;
• involuntary bowel movements and passing urine;
• vomit.
After 2 weeks, attacks of painful coughing intensify, become frequent, prolonged and severe. Over time, they will decline and may disappear completely by the 6th week. But this does not mean that the infection is gone - it can take another form (for example, bronchiolitis or pneumonia).
Diagnosis of whooping cough in children
In order not to confuse whooping cough with trivial acute respiratory infections or tracheobronchitis, the doctor needs constant monitoring of the sick child. Observing the nature of the convulsive cough, studies are carried out in parallel.
For example, during an attack, a Petri dish with a special medium is held in front of the patient's mouth to take a sputum culture. The diagnosis can already be made on the basis of this bacteriological study and blood tests. At a later date, the doctor relies on serological studies: agglutination reactions and CSCs.
How to treat whooping cough in children
Depending on the severity of the disease, the baby is isolated either at home (in the initial stage) or hospitalized in the clinic (with a progressive form). Treatment is started with antibiotics, while pertussis gamma globulin is prescribed.
For severe coughing attacks, antispasmodic drugs (such as papaverine) are recommended. If the sputum leaves poorly, the doctor prescribes special inhalations using proteolytic enzymes. In severe forms, the patient has to be kept in oxygen chambers.
How to protect your baby from whooping cough
To protect a child from such tests, he must be vaccinated in advance using the DPT vaccine. It will help to activate the body's immune system. But in any case, if you know that the child has been in contact with a sick whooping cough, it is advisable for him to immediately inject gamma globulin.
