How to prevent whooping cough in children

Dr. Tran Huynh Tan, Medical Manager, VNVC Vaccination System, recommends the above disease prevention method, adding that it should be applied to both children and parents and caregivers in the context of many cases appearing since the beginning of the year. Specifically, Hanoi recorded a total of 151 cases of whooping cough, mainly young children who were not old enough to be vaccinated or not fully vaccinated. Ho Chi Minh City recorded 30 cases of whooping cough as of June 12, 40% of whom were children under 2 months old, not old enough to be vaccinated.

Vaccination for children

The younger children are, the more susceptible they are to whooping cough and become seriously ill due to their immature immune system. Whooping cough can cause superinfection, complications of pneumonia, bronchitis – pneumonia, especially under 5 years old and malnourished children.

In whooping cough prevention measures, vaccination helps children have safe, specific immunity. Babies can be vaccinated at two months of age with the 5-in-1 or 6-in-1 shots. The vaccine is up to 98% effective when vaccinated on schedule and with enough shots.

The vaccination regimen includes 3 injections when the child is 2-3-4 months old, and a booster injection when 16-18 months old. In addition, the child also needs a booster injection of diphtheria – whooping cough – tetanus – polio when 4-6 years old to strengthen immunity.

Vaccination for mothers and caregivers

Babies under two months old depend on antibodies from their mothers. If mothers are not vaccinated during pregnancy, they will not have immunity to pass on to their babies during pregnancy, making them susceptible to bacteria that can cause serious illness.

Vaccination with pertussis vaccine during pregnancy is included in the strategy to prevent pertussis in newborns by WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The pertussis vaccine for pregnant women is a combined diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus shot, injected in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The vaccination should be given at least one month before birth so that the body has time to produce antibodies and pass them on to the baby. The vaccine helps protect newborns from pertussis at a rate of more than 90%.

Relatives and people who regularly care for children also need to be vaccinated to protect their health and avoid spreading diseases to the baby.

Avoid contact with patients

Whooping cough is spread through the respiratory tract. One infected person can infect 12-17 people. Infants get whooping cough when they come into contact with respiratory secretions of an infected person through hugging, kissing, or talking.

Symptoms of the disease include a prolonged cough that cannot be stopped and hissing like a chicken. Children cough a lot and become weak due to loss of strength. The disease can have serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalopathy, malnutrition, superinfection with other infectious agents…

Family members, caregivers, siblings suspected of being infected or having symptoms of respiratory infection such as sore throat, cough, sneezing… should limit close contact with young children. This helps prevent whooping cough and other respiratory viruses.

Oral hygiene

Whooping cough, when entering the body, will reside in the nasal and throat mucosa. Proper oral hygiene helps reduce the amount of bacteria and the possibility of infection.

The mucous membranes of the newborn’s mouth and throat are still thin, so the manipulation needs to be gentle. For the nose, parents use a round, moist cotton pad to clean the mucus and nasal discharge. If the baby has a stuffy nose, put 1-2 drops of saline solution before wiping with cotton. The mouth and throat area should be cleaned in the morning before feeding the baby by moistening a soft gauze, wrapping it around the tip of the index finger and wiping gently.

Adults also need to clean their mouth and throat with saline to maintain hygiene and avoid spreading diseases to children.

Clean surfaces and toys

Whooping cough bacteria can survive for a short time outside the patient’s body, clinging to the floor and doorknobs. Therefore, parents and caregivers need to pay attention to cleaning surfaces, floors, door handles, toys and children’s hands.

When children start going to preschool, they need to be guided in the habit of washing their hands with soap before eating, when returning home from a crowded place, after cleaning or covering their mouth when coughing. Adults in the family also need to wash their hands thoroughly with soap to avoid spreading germs to children during care.