There have been confirmed cases of whooping cough in Arizona. This respiratory infection begins in the nose and throat then can take a very serious turn. So what do you need to know?
According to WebMD, watch for these symptoms:
At first, whooping cough has the same symptoms as the average cold:
- Mild coughing
- Sneezing
- Runny nose
- Low fever (below 102 F)
You may also have diarrhea early on.
After about 7-10 days, the cough turns into “coughing spells” that end with a whooping sound as the person tries to breathe in air.
Because the cough is dry and doesn’t produce mucus, these spells can last up to 1 minute. Sometimes it can cause your face to briefly turn red or purple.
Most people with whooping cough have coughing spells, but not everyone does.
Infants may not make the whooping sound or even cough, but they might gasp for air or try to catch their breath during these spells. Some may vomit.