Please be advised that we have had a case of Whooping Cough with in our school community.

Whooping cough (pertussis) is a serious, contagious, respiratory infection caused by the bacterium. The disease begins like a cold and then the characteristic cough develops. This cough may last up to 3 months, even after antibiotic treatment is completed and the person is no longer infectious.

The 'whoop' (which is not always obvious) is due to a deep breath at the end of a bout of coughing. Vomiting after coughing is common.

Whooping cough is particularly dangerous for babies less than 6 months of age. These infants are too young to be fully immunised. They are affected more seriously by the disease than older children or adults, and are more likely to develop complications. Older children and adults who have not received whooping cough vaccination are at risk of infection and are often the source of infection in young infants.

Immunisation is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough.

Symptoms of whooping cough

Whooping cough begins with symptoms similar to those of a cold. These can rapidly progress to include:

• severe cough – occurs in bouts
• characteristic 'whooping' sound on inhalation
• vomiting at the end of a bout of coughing
• apnoea – the child stops breathing for periods of time and may go blue.

A person with these symptoms may also have poor appetite, fatigue and dehydration. The person may appear normal between bouts of coughing. During the recovery, the cough gradually decreases, but can last up to 3 months.

If your child is showing any of the above symptoms please seek medical advise and keep them at home until they are well.