health

Treatment of whooping cough depends partly on the patient’s age and
partly on the severity of the disease. Infants younger than six months
often need hospitalization so that they can be given oxygen, have mucus
removed from their airway, and fed intravenously if necessary. Very
young infants are at greatest risk of ear infections, seizures, or other complications
of whooping cough.
Older children, teenagers, and adults should stay home from school or
work in order not to give the disease to other people. They should rest in
bed if at all possible. In most cases the doctor will prescribe an antibiotic
medication, usually for two or three weeks. Antibiotics can shorten the
duration of the illness and also shorten the length of time that the patient
is contagious. In some cases the doctor will prescribe antibiotics for other
members of the patient’s family to reduce their risk of getting the disease.
Over-the counter cough medicines are not usually very helpful in
relieving the sore throat and coughing spells of whooping cough. A coolmist
vaporizer and drinking lots of fluids are usually more effective.