If the child Prolonged Cough

Starting from fever and cough common cold. Uh, anyway, long and strong cough continuously. As relentlessly.

What a pity to see your child cough like that. Continuously, as there was no respite. The little almost hard to sleep, because the cough a great disturbance. And the sound of the cough is very distinctive. Usually 5-10 times stronger cough, and then heard the sound of screeching.

Cough this one was kind of stubborn. The medical world calls the whooping cough / pertussis or kinkhoest (Dutch, Ed.). We often call it the hundred-day cough. "Not that period of a hundred days cough, lo. Said that because it coughs in a long time. Could be 6-8 weeks or up to 3 months," said Dr. Najib Advani, Spak. MMed. Paed, from Cipto Mangunkusumo.

Why the hell is so stubborn cough? To note, pertussis epidemic has existed since the 16th century. However, germs cause, Bordetella pertussis, recently discovered around 1906 by Bordet and Gengou. And in developing countries the disease has become one of the biggest causes of illness and death in children.

THREE STADIUM

Whooping cough is easy to arise, spread and are also contagious. Especially in dense housing and slums, inadequate in terms of hygiene. Mode of transmission, bright Najib, either through air containing pertussis germs are then inhaled. Germs-bacteria will perch on the vibrating hairs in the mucus lining the airways. And pertussis bacteria that produces toxins will spread through the bloodstream to other body parts.

Whooping cough can be transmitted from an adult or child in the neighborhood. "Maybe, whooping cough in adults is not so heavy, but the weight of so infectious to be a child."

The incubation period for whooping cough begins from the entry of the bacteria until symptoms of the disease. The length ranges from 6-20 days. "Usually about seven days."

Whooping cough is divided into three stages. Early stage / katarhalis, duration of 1-2 weeks. The second stage / paroxysmal, duration of 2-4 weeks. Third, the stadium repair / convalescent, duration 1-2 weeks.

Sometimes, in certain cases, was so strong until the child can cough vomiting, and watery red eyes, red face due to straining cough, breathing difficulty that children face looks bluish. In fact, among the children cough could not speak.

Clearly, Najib said, the paroxysmal stage these symptoms are severe. "So you can imagine if this happened whooping cough in infants. We pity because he will suffer all. Fact, a cough that's the strongest it could take up to 4 weeks."

In fact, at this stage may develop complications, such as bleeding arise in the nose / nosebleeds, coughing up blood caused by a strong cough that causes injury to the respiratory tract. Bleeding can also occur in both eyes, especially on the white of the eye. "Even bleeding in the brain was possible., And the consequences of bleeding in the brain can cause seizures or even cause a child paralyzed," said Najib.

Other complications, can also cause lung collapse, the lungs become inflated due to coughing too strong. Could happen anyway pneumonia or pneumonia.

In infants breathing disorder generally occurs because of the mucus. In addition, when the mucus into the ear can cause coughing.

While on convalescent stage / repair, cough began to diminish and the child's condition began to recover. Generally, each patient will go through three stages before. What is clear, whooping cough more often suffered by girls. This is presumably because the immune girls are more vulnerable than boys.

HANDLING

So, how the handling of patients with whooping cough this? Should immediately take the child to the doctor to prevent complications of all kinds. "Better treatment of whooping cough conducted at an early stage. Order to avoid possible complications caused. Moreover, to shorten the time of his illness," Najib anjur.

Usually at the beginning of the treatment given antibiotics to kill germs. In addition, said Najib, was also given drugs to suppress / reduce and stop coughing so young undisturbed. Also recommended for adequate rest, drink plenty of fluids and eat well. "There are also foods that should be avoided, such as the food that makes scratchy throat and cough inducing. Example ice, food or beverages icy-cold, deep-fried foods, sweets, and chocolate."

In infants, it is recommended to purge the upper airway. So sometimes needed physiotherapy to evaporation in the nose or aspirated with a vacuum to remove mucus, through the nose and mouth.

Whooping cough can be repeated, because the child's immune system is not as good as adults. But it certainly will not be as bad and as good as the first cough. "The possibility of recurrence is more common in children who did not receive immunization, malnutrition, lack hiegienis environment, and comes in contact with people who are sick with whooping cough," said Najib.

IMMUNIZATION AS PREVENTION

The best preventive measures to give children the DPT (Diphtheria Pertussis Tetanus). Immunizations are given at the age of 3, 4, and 5 months. Then repeated again as children from 1.5 to 2 years, and then at the age of 6 years.

However, please note, this immunization side effects causing high heat, about 38-39 degrees Celsius. So parents need to be extra careful taking care of the little guy.

In addition, other side effects of immunization is more often cause minor swelling at the injection site, red and pain. "As a result, children become fussy and insomnia, due to severe reactions from the vaccine. However, would have been much better given immunization, rather than exposed pertusion."

Because, almost seventy percent of children who did not receive DPT can be exposed to pertussis. When children get exposed to pertussis vaccination whooping cough will likely small because it is protected. "It is not one hundred percent protected, but if, after all, be exposed to light."

Generally, children who have a febrile seizure talent not given DPT vaccination, but DT alone. However, currently existing overseas acellular pertussis vaccine type. The vaccine is much lighter, almost did not cause a fever. "So, if want to give the DPT vaccine had seen her son. When the children had meningitis, febrile seizures, the vaccine should be careful. Because it can cause recurrent febrile seizures. So in DPT vaccine is not absolutely not be given, but seen first profit and loss for children, "said Najib.

Well, Mom and Dad are now more clearly what is best for the baby. So, is not it?