Whooping Cough: It's Back!

Whooping Cough:  It’s Back!
Does your child have a cough that just won’t go away? Even if it looks like the common cold, you need to pay close attention to it because it could be whooping cough.  Whooping Cough?!?  Couldn’t be! No one gets that anymore!  Actually, whooping cough is a very serious respiratory infection that strikes up to twenty-five thousand people every year in the U.S!  Even if you or your child have been vaccinated, you can both still be vulnerable – and in a baby, the disease can be fatal. Join Dr. Winnie King and her guests as we tell you how to recognize whooping cough; what to do about it; and why it’s on the rise once again.

Guests:

Jessica Pingitore, Age 16, Whooping Cough patient
Lorraine Pingitore, Mother of Jessica
Gracelyn Mansfield, Age 3, Whooping Cough patient when an infant
Nancy and Brian Mansfield, Gracelyn’s Parents
Margaret C. Fisher, MD, Infectious Disease Specialist; Chair, Department of Pediatrics, Monmouth Medical Center; Editor in Chief of Immunizations and Infectious Diseases, An Informed Parent’s Guide

Tips:

When to Get Whooping Cough Vaccinations for Your Child:

For Young Children: 5 Vaccinations

• At 2, 4 & 6 months
• Once between 12-18 months
• When entering school

For Pre-Teens and Teens:

• There are two new booster shots that just came out, that can be given to pre-teens, teens and adults. 
• Ideally, the booster shots should be given around ages 11 or 12.
• If, however, your child has already passed that age, and you have a teen between 15-18 years of age, this would still be a good time to get the vaccination. 
• Adults ages 19-65 should consider getting booster shots as well.

Resources:

American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/  
847-434-4000

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov/  
800-311-3435

Books/Articles

Immunizations and Infectious Diseases, An Informed Parent’s Guide.  Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (Margaret C. Fisher, MD, Editor in Chief)

Winnie King, M.D.