| Whooping cough is a highly contagious disease | | | | bacteria. It is a serious disease that can cause |
| caused by bacteria. The disease is also known as | | | | permanent disability in infants, and even death. When |
| pertussis (pronounced pur-TUSS-iss). The most | | | | an infected person sneezes or coughs, tiny droplets |
| prominent symptom of whooping cough is a | | | | containing the bacteria move through the air, and the |
| distinctive, uncontrollable cough, followed by a sharp, | | | | disease is easily spread from person to person. Initial |
| high-pitched intake of air. This intake of air causes the | | | | symptoms, similar to the common cold, usually |
| characteristic "whoop" for which the disease is | | | | develop about a week after exposure to the |
| named. There are two separate stages of the | | | | bacteria. Severe episodes of coughing start about 10 |
| disease, the first of which is the least symptomatic | | | | to 12 days later. Signs and Symptoms Early signs and |
| and the most contagious, the second of which is | | | | symptoms Once you become infected with the |
| mostly a side-effect of the recovery process. In the | | | | bacterium that causes whooping cough, it takes |
| first stage, symptoms will be like that of a moderate | | | | about three to 12 days for signs and symptoms to |
| to severe cold, including histamine reaction (sneezing, | | | | appear. They're usually mild at first and resemble |
| watery eyes, runny nose), mild fever and possible | | | | those of a common cold, such as: A runny nose Nasal |
| chest congestion. Discharge produced by coughing will | | | | congestion Sneezing Red, watery eyes The child |
| typically be yellow or light green in color if present, as | | | | develops a cold with a marked cough, which |
| is common in cases of bacterial infection of the upper | | | | becomes more severe and spasmodic after a few |
| respiratories. Sore throat will often be conspicuously | | | | days. At the end of this spasm, the child gives a |
| absent, save that which may be caused by the | | | | characteristic whoop. As the paroxysms of coughing |
| cough. Although it's considered a vaccine-preventable | | | | increase, the disease becomes less infective. |
| disease, whooping cough (pertussis) certainly hasn't | | | | Treatment Drosera. [Dros] Drosera is one of the |
| been eliminated as a public health problem. While most | | | | remedies praised by Hahnemann; indeed, he once said |
| other diseases that are vaccinated against in | | | | that Drosera 30th sufficed to cure nearly every case |
| childhood are decreasing in frequency, cases of | | | | of whooping cough, a statement which clinical |
| whooping cough actually increased through the 1980s. | | | | experience has not verified. Drosera, however, will |
| Children under the age of two, particularly infants, are | | | | benefit a large number of the cases, if the following |
| most at risk for serious infection, although the | | | | indications be present: a barking cough in such |
| disease can occur at any age. However, once an | | | | frequent paroxysms as to prevent the catching of |
| individual has been exposed to B. pertussis, | | | | the breath; worse in the evening. All efforts to raise |
| subsequent exposures result in mild illness similar to | | | | the phlegm end in retching and vomiting. The attacks |
| the common cold, and thus usually not identifiable as | | | | are especially worse after midnight; the child holds its |
| resulting from B. pertussis. Causes whooping cough, is | | | | epigastrium while coughing. The drosera child cries a |
| an upper respiratory infection caused by the | | | | great deal. |
| Bordetella pertussis or Bordetella parapertussis | | | | |