Pertussis: the 100 Days Cough
Pertussis is also known as whooping cough. It is caused by a bacteria called Bordetella pertussis, a tiny bacteria that is spread by airborne droplets (from coughing and sneezing).
 | In the beginning the illness looks like a common cold, with a fever, sneezing, runny nose, and a normal sounding cough. After 1-2 weeks, most of the symptoms resolve but the cough sticks around and just gets worse. Many kids will develop what are called “paroxysms” of coughing, meaning they will have bad coughing fits where they will cough several times in a row, followed by a gasp for breath (the “whoop” in whooping cough). |
Kids may cough so much they throw up, give themselves nosebleeds, or break blood vessels in their eyes (a generally harmless condition called subconjunctival hemorrhage).
