Clinical Portal 2026 Dr. Murali Gopal
Parent guide

Whooping Cough / Pertussis in Children

A practical parent guide to severe coughing spells, infant danger signs, spread prevention, vaccination protection, and urgent warning signs.

Parent Guide Draft
Severe coughing spells Infants are higher risk Whoop may be absent Watch colour and feeding
Indian mother holding an infant with severe coughing distress in a calm home-care setting

Dr. Murali Gopal

Senior Paediatrician & Paediatric Pulmonologist
MCR: 57489
MBBS, DCH(UK), MRCPCH(UK), FRCPCH(UK), CCT Paediatrics (UK), Fellow in Paediatric Pulmonology (Aus), Allergology (Ind)
Last reviewed: 16 June 2026

Whooping cough needs special caution in babies. Many older children recover with guidance, but infants can become unwell quickly. Seek medical review if pertussis is suspected, especially with feeding difficulty, colour change, or breathing pauses.

What is it?

Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a contagious bacterial respiratory infection. It can cause prolonged, repeated coughing spells that may disturb sleep, feeding, and breathing comfort.

Babies may not make the classic whoop. They may instead have pauses in breathing, colour change, choking, poor feeding, or exhaustion after coughing.

Symptoms and signs

  • Symptoms may start like a cold, with runny nose, mild fever, and cough.
  • Cough can progress to repeated bouts, choking, gagging, or vomiting after cough.
  • Feeding may become difficult, especially in infants and young babies.
  • Sleep may be disturbed and the child may look exhausted after coughing spells.
  • Babies may have breathing pauses, limpness, colour change, or poor feeding instead of a whoop.

How it spreads

  • Pertussis spreads through droplets from coughing or sneezing and close contact.
  • It can spread within families before everyone realizes the cough is pertussis.
  • Newborns, young infants, unimmunised babies, pregnant contacts, and medically vulnerable children need extra care after exposure.
  • Vaccination reduces risk and severity; check your child vaccination record with your paediatrician.

Home management

  • Seek medical review if pertussis is suspected, particularly in babies and young children.
  • Keep the baby or child away from young infants and vulnerable contacts as advised by the doctor.
  • Support fluids and feeds with smaller, more frequent attempts if tolerated.
  • Observe breathing effort, colour, feeding, urine output, alertness, and exhaustion after cough.
  • Follow medical advice about testing, treatment, household contact precautions, and return to school or daycare.

What to avoid

  • Do not treat severe infant cough as a routine cold.
  • Do not use cough suppressants casually in young children.
  • Do not expose newborns, unimmunised babies, or vulnerable contacts if pertussis is suspected.
  • Do not delay care if breathing pauses, blue colour, poor feeding, or marked exhaustion occur.
  • Do not assume every child must have a whoop; babies and vaccinated children may present differently.

School and daycare guidance

Keep the child away from school, daycare, young infants, and vulnerable contacts as advised by the doctor or local public health guidance. Schools and daycare centres may have specific return policies after suspected or confirmed pertussis.

Important facts

  • Whooping cough can be serious in infants and young babies.
  • The classic whoop is not present in every child, especially in young babies.
  • Vaccination reduces the risk and severity of disease, but this guide does not replace an individualized vaccination review.
  • Cough can last for weeks even after the child is no longer as infectious; follow medical advice about monitoring and contact precautions.

Red flags / when to seek urgent medical care

Seek urgent medical care if suspected whooping cough occurs with any of these signs:
  • Baby under 6 months with suspected whooping cough.
  • Breathing pauses, blue lips, colour change, grunting, or chest indrawing.
  • Severe coughing spells with exhaustion, limpness, or child looking very unwell.
  • Poor feeding, dehydration, very reduced urine, or repeated vomiting after cough.
  • Drowsiness, seizure, difficult to wake, or unusual behaviour.
  • Parent is worried, especially with a young baby or medically vulnerable child.

Medical disclaimer

General education only This guide is parent education only and does not replace medical consultation, diagnosis, testing, treatment selection, public health instructions, school advice, vaccination advice, or individualized care from a qualified healthcare professional. It does not provide antibiotic names, antibiotic doses, cough-medicine doses, or a vaccine schedule.

References

  1. RCH Kids Health Info. Whooping cough. Accessed 21 May 2026.
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pertussis information. Accessed 21 May 2026.
  3. NHS. Whooping cough guidance. Accessed 21 May 2026.
  4. American Academy of Pediatrics HealthyChildren. Pertussis guidance. Accessed 21 May 2026.

Last reviewed: 16 June 2026.

© Dr. Murali Gopal | For Patient Education Only This educational material is intended for parent and patient education. Reproduction, redistribution, or modification without permission is not allowed.

Medical review

Reviewed byDr. Murali Gopal

Last reviewed16 June 2026

Medical review statusClinician reviewed

ReferencesRCH Kids Health Info: Whooping cough; CDC pertussis information; NHS whooping cough guidance; American Academy of Pediatrics HealthyChildren pertussis guidance

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This parent guide is for general education only and does not replace consultation with your child’s paediatrician. Please seek medical care urgently if your child appears seriously unwell, has breathing difficulty, poor feeding, dehydration, altered responsiveness, or if you are worried.