There has been a case of Whooping cough within your child's classroom and your child may have been exposed. If your child has neither been vaccinated against it nor had whooping cough, then it Is possible that he/she will get it.
Whooping cough is a lung infection that can be very serious in young infants and in children with lung or heart problems or other chronic illness. The Illness tends to be less severe when it develops in an older child or adult. It usually begins as a mild chesty cold that progresses to severe paroxysms of cough. It is recognized by the whoop that follows coughing spasms. These spasms help to spread the germs around. Complications of the infection include pneumonia, seizures and even brain damage. Illness typically develops 7 to 10 days after exposure to someone with the Illness, and an affected individual is contagious for up to three weeks after the symptoms develop.
If you have any children less than 7 years of age in the house that have not received the full series of vaccines, bring them to the local clinic for vaccination.
Watch older children and adults for symptoms which usually develop about I week after exposure. An antibiotic (Erythromycin) given as soon as symptoms start can help prevent the spread of infection and may shorten the course of infection in the infected person.
Contact your doctor and arrange for him/her to see the child and confirm the diagnosis. Do not bring the child to the crowded surgery waiting room, as this will just spread the infection further.
Many children with whooping cough are too sick to attend school and are more comfortable at home. Children with cough should stay at home until they have finished a five-day course of antibiotics (Erythromycin) and are well enough to attend school.
Your family doctor and local health clinic will be able to answer any further questions that you might have about whooping cough and whooping cough vaccine.