In the TV series "Ah Cradle", a middle-aged man dropped a package on a hillside. The director of the nursery passed by and took a closer look, and found a little boy wrapped inside.

Whooping cough is an infectious disease with a long history. Before the advent of relevant vaccines, it was once one of the most terrifying diseases in infants and young children with high morbidity and fatality rates. In the

TV series " Ah Cradle ", a middle-aged man dropped a package on a hillside. The director of the nursery passed by and took a closer look, and found a little boy wrapped inside. When asked about the reason, the man painfully and helplessly told him that whooping cough could not be cured, so this was the only way.

The younger brother of the female singer Song Zuying accidentally contracted whooping cough when he was young. At that time, the medical conditions in the countryside were very difficult, and the treatment was not kept up with him, so he became deaf and mute.

It was not until 1978 that my country began to include diphtheria-tetanus pertussis vaccine in children in a planned immunization program, which resulted in a significant decrease in the incidence of this disease.

However, at the Third International Pertussis Forum held in Shenzhen last year, some experts pointed out that the incidence of whooping cough has begun to rise again in recent years. A relatively obvious "reappearance of whooping cough" has appeared since 2014. This public health problem still cannot be tolerated. ignore.

So, what is whooping cough?

It refers to an acute respiratory infectious disease caused by B. pertussis infection. The main characteristic of

is that during the peak period of attack, paroxysmal severe coughing accompanied by rooster-like echoes will occur. Moreover, the recovery time is long, and the entire course of the disease can last as long as 3-4 months.

Seeing this, some parents may be a little confused. My baby coughed twice in the past two days. Could it be whooping cough?

Parents should relax. It is normal for babies to cough. Not all coughs are caused by whooping cough.

Next, let’s take a look at the typical three-stage course of whooping cough.

1. The symptoms of the catarrhal stage

are very similar to those of the common cold . They are all characterized by runny nose, sneezing, mild cough and nasal congestion, and some babies may also develop low-grade fever. In contrast, a cough will gradually get worse.

Generally this stage will last 1-2 weeks.

2. During the spasm period

cough symptoms begin to become more prominent at this time. Babies often have an uninterrupted series of violent coughs. Moreover, because the cough is too severe, it may also induce vomiting, difficulty breathing, blue lips, and profuse sweating. .

When the baby finishes a series of violent coughs, he will inhale harder, resulting in a rooster-like echo.

Generally this stage lasts 2-8 weeks.

3. Recovery period

At this time, the baby is gradually improving, the frequency and severity of coughing will gradually decrease, and vomiting after coughing will rarely occur again.

Generally speaking, the overall course of the disease lasts for 3-4 months, so it is called whooping cough.

So, as long as the baby does not have the above symptoms, does it mean that it is not whooping cough?

is not necessarily the case. The above symptoms mainly appear when unvaccinated babies are infected for the first time.

Those babies who have been vaccinated will have mild symptoms. Some babies have no symptoms at all, while some babies will have a slight cough, and some babies will occasionally have spasmodic cough.

It can be seen that the best prevention method is to get vaccinated in time.

You can get the triple diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine (whooping cough, diphtheria, neonatal tetanus ). Generally, three consecutive basic injections are given when the baby is 3 months, 4 months, and 5 months old; and then at 18 months of age. Booster shots.

You can also receive the pentavalent vaccine (pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus , poliomyelitis and influenza ). Generally, three consecutive basic injections are given to the baby when he is 2 months, 3 months, and 4 months old; A booster shot is then given at 18 months of age.

Therefore, the earlier the vaccine is vaccinated, the more preventive it will be.

Whooping cough is still relatively dangerous for babies under 4 months old. Because the baby is too young, the symptoms of cough are not so typical. Instead, the symptoms are mainly silent cough, blushing, eye popping, and wanting to vomit. , there will also be bradycardia , and body cyanosis (an increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin in the blood will cause the skin and mucous membranes to turn blue-purple).

In this case, if it is not detected and treated early, the baby may not be able to breathe smoothly, which may lead to the terrible consequences of apnea or even sudden death.

How to care for your baby if he gets whooping cough?

• Send to the hospital in time for antibacterial treatment

What kind of antibiotics should be chosen for treatment mainly depends on the doctor's comprehensive judgment based on the specific age of the baby.

Many parents regard antibiotics as tigers. They always feel that they are not good for the growth and development of their babies. After the baby's condition is relieved, they will stop taking the medicine without authorization, which is detrimental to the condition. Be sure to follow the doctor's advice.

• Isolate in time

If there are two babies at home, the baby infected with whooping cough must be isolated. The specific time should be arranged by the doctor.

• Home care

① Eat small meals frequently

Let the baby drink enough milk and other liquids to maintain the same amount of urine as usual;

At the same time, you can take the form of eating small meals frequently to avoid vomiting after the baby coughs. At the same time, after the baby eats the food, Try to keep the baby upright to reduce the number of vomiting;

② Get enough rest

Try to keep the baby in a quiet and comfortable environment, and avoid stimulation such as strenuous exercise and crying that can induce coughing;

③ Maintain humidity

Moist air helps to dilute mucus , so parents can place a cool mist sprayer or humidifier in the bedroom, especially when the air conditioner is turned on.