Facts About Whooping Cough

What Do You Know About Whooping Cough?

July 16, 2010

Whooping cough may sound like a defunct illness from many generations ago, but California is currently facing a statewide epidemic with more than 1,300 confirmed cases since last month. The highly contagious ailment has claimed the lives of five tots to date and state officials have begun a media campaign to educate parents about vaccination programs. Take the quiz to see how much you know about whooping cough.

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5 Comments

offtherecord 2 years 43 weeks

My vaccine wore off or something . . . I got this last summer and it's taken me nearly a year for my immune system to recover from it. I'm in my twenties, and had been vaccinated before, so I don't think it was as bad as it could have been (partial immunity from the previous vaccines, plus an adult immune system). So keep up with those booster shots as an adult! I don't really mind that I had it, I mean, it wasn't fun but it also wasn't as bad as Strep or the flu, but I would have felt so, so guilty if I'd been around an infant or toddler and gotten them really sick.

lickety split 2 years 43 weeks

Doctors rarely consider parents much of a resource. It's very common for the doctor, or nurse, to dismiss a parents concerns with a comment like, "well, this IS your first....." The implication being that you don't know what you're talking about. 2 of my 3 girls and I came down with this a few yeas ago. One had had the vaccine, the other had not. Neither was sick for very long. Annoying cough, no lasting effects. I dislike that it's a 3-for. Much prefer the "1 vaccine per" method. No need to flood tiny bodies with poison in the absense of a breakout.

MissSushi 2 years 44 weeks

It is so distinctive, I cant imagine a doctor not knowing/listening to what you had to say. Ridiculous

3 years 22 weeks

Despite completing the recommended course of vaccines to prevent whooping cough, my son (then, age 4) and myself fell ill w whooping cough. As this was 6 years ago, our pediatricians were not testing for it and my poor son suffered for 4 months with this debilitating cough and infection. Finally, we found a sympathetic ped in our group who agreed to test for pertussis after we had suggested we thought this is what is might be. Sure enough the test came back positive. Up until that point, pediatricans believed that if you were vaccinated- you were most likely protected. It was a very frustrating experience for us. My son- who was previously healthy- now has a weakened respiratory system. And I, too, have been much more vulnerable to respiratory related infections since I had pertussis. I totally disagree w the answer to question #4. At the onset of the illness- this was absolutely nothing like the symptoms of a common cold. It started with the cough first- a very distinct and scary whooping sound.

miss leanne 3 years 22 weeks

All I know is that I'm extremely allergic to the vaccine, as it shut down my circulatory system when I was 4 years old. Definitely on the fence while trying to decide whether my little one will get the shot or not.

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