Treatment. Laboratory research methods

What is this disease?

Whooping cough is an extremely contagious respiratory tract infection. The disease is characterized by sudden attacks of spasmodic coughing, which usually end with a wheezing inhalation. The peak incidence occurs in early spring and late winter. Half of the cases are unvaccinated children under two years of age.

As a result of mass immunization and timely recognition of the disease, the number of deaths from whooping cough has sharply decreased. Children under one year old die from pneumonia and other complications; Whooping cough is also dangerous for very elderly people, but in children over one year old and in adults it is usually less severe.

What are the causes of the disease?

The causative agent of whooping cough is coccobacteria. The infection is usually transmitted by airborne droplets from a patient in the acute phase of the disease; much less often through bedding and other objects contaminated with secretions from the nasopharynx.

What are the symptoms of the disease?

7-10 days after infection, coccobacilli enter the respiratory tract, where they cause the formation of viscous mucus. Classic whooping cough lasts 6 weeks; during its course there are 3 periods; each duration is 2 weeks.

The catarrhal period is characterized by an irritating cough, night cough, loss of appetite, sneezing, restlessness and sometimes a slight increase in temperature. During this period, whooping cough is especially contagious.

The spasmodic period begins 7-14 days from the onset of the disease. It is characterized by paroxysmal convulsive cough with the release of viscous mucus. Each coughing attack usually ends with a noisy, convulsive breath, and choking on mucus can lead to vomiting. (Very young children may not have this typical gasping breath.)

In the intervals between breaths during a convulsive cough, complications such as increased pressure in the veins, nosebleeds, swelling around the eyes, hemorrhages under the conjunctiva, retinal detachment (and blindness), rectal prolapse, hernia, seizures and pneumonia are possible. In children, convulsive cough can cause periodic respiratory arrest, oxygen deficiency and metabolic disorders.

During this period, patients are very vulnerable to secondary bacterial or viral infections, which can be fatal. When a temperature appears, a secondary infection can be assumed.

Recovery period. At this time, coughing attacks and vomiting gradually subside. However, within a few months, even after a mild respiratory tract infection, the convulsive cough may begin again.

How is whooping cough diagnosed?

Classic symptoms - especially during the convulsive period of the disease - allow one to suspect whooping cough and order laboratory tests to confirm the diagnosis. Isolation of the bacilli carrier using a throat swab is possible only in the early stages of the disease. Typically, at the beginning of the convulsive period, leukocytosis increases, especially in children older than 6 months.

How is the disease treated?

Patients with severe attacks of convulsive cough should be hospitalized; They will receive fluids and electrolytes in the hospital. Treatment consists of proper nutrition, codeine and mild sedatives are prescribed to reduce cough; if the patient experiences periodic respiratory arrests, oxygen therapy is necessary; Antibiotics are used to prevent the development of secondary infections.

A patient with a spasmodic cough must be isolated. When caring for someone who has whooping cough, you should wear a mask. Care should be taken to create a calm environment so as not to provoke coughing attacks. It is better to feed patients in small portions, but more often.

Whooping cough vaccinations

Since infants are especially susceptible to whooping cough, immunization (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine) is usually given at 2, 4 and 6 months. At 18 months and at 4-6 years, additional vaccinations are given.

The vaccine may harm the nervous system and cause other complications, but the risk of getting whooping cough is higher than the risk of developing complications.

Whooping cough - an acute infectious disease, the main manifestation of which is a paroxysmal cough.

Etiology

The causative agent is the Bordet-Giangu bacterium. The source of infection is a sick person within 25–30 days from the onset of the disease. The route of transmission is airborne. The incubation period is 3–15 days.

Clinical manifestations

During the course of the disease, there are 3 periods: catarrhal, spasmodic and the period of resolution.

Catarrhal period. Duration - 10–14 days. There is a short-term increase in body temperature to subfebrile, a slight runny nose, and an increasing cough.

Spasmodic period. Duration - 2–3 weeks. The main symptom is a typical paroxysmal cough. A coughing attack begins unexpectedly and consists of repeated cough impulses (reprises), which are interrupted by a prolonged wheezing inhalation associated with a narrowing of the glottis. In infants, after a series of coughing impulses, breathing may stop (apnea). During a coughing attack, the skin on the child’s face becomes cyanotic with a purple tint, and swelling of the neck veins is observed. When coughing, the child sticks out his tongue and drools. At the end of the attack, a small amount of viscous sputum may be released. The frequency of attacks is from 10 to 60 times a day, depending on the severity of the disease.

Resolution period. Duration - 1–3 weeks. Attacks occur less frequently, are shorter in duration, and the cough loses its specificity. All symptoms of the disease gradually disappear. The total duration of the disease is 5–12 weeks.

Complications

Emphysema, atelectasis, pneumonia, bronchitis, encephalopathy.

Diagnostics

1. Accounting for epidemiological data.

3. Bacteriological examination of mucus taken from the back wall of the pharynx.

4. Immunoluminescent express diagnostics.

5. Serological study.

Treatment

1. Treatment regimen.

2. Balanced nutrition.

3. Drug therapy: antibiotics, antispasmodics, expectorants, including proteolytic enzymes.

Prevention

1. Active immunization - DTP vaccination (pertussis-diphtheria-tetanus vaccine). The course begins at the age of 3 months. The course consists of 3 injections with an interval of 30–40 days. Revaccination - after 1.5–2 years.

2. Isolation of patients for 25–30 days from the onset of the disease.

3. Contact children under 7 years of age are subject to quarantine for 14 days.

Nursing care

1. Patient care is carried out in accordance with the general principles of care for childhood infections.

Whooping cough – an acute infectious disease with a cyclical course and characteristic attacks of convulsive cough. Etiology. Pathogen infections - bacteria in the form of short rods - was discovered by the Belgian scientist Bordet and the French scientist Zhang in 1906. Infection occurs by airborne droplets More often, whooping cough affects children from 1 to 5 years old, but sometimes children under the age of one year are affected. The incubation period lasts from 2 to 15, but more often it is 5–9 days. At this time, symptoms of the disease do not appear. Then, during the course of the disease, three periods are distinguished: catarrhal, convulsive and resolution. Catarrhal period lasts up to 2 weeks. The onset of the disease is atypical. General malaise develops, a runny nose appears, a cough gets worse every day, the temperature rises to low-grade (37–38 °C), and then drops to normal. Convulsive period lasts from 1 to 5 weeks. The number of convulsive coughing attacks increases from 10 to 50 per day. Disease resolution period lasts 1–3 weeks. Gradually the cough becomes weaker, convulsive attacks are less frequent and less prolonged, and recovery begins. Total duration Whooping cough can be from 5 to 12 weeks. The patient is considered contagious for 30 days from the onset of illness. Complications: pneumonia, bronchitis (especially in children from 1 to 3 years), respiratory arrest, nosebleeds. Caring for sick children. Properly organized patient care plays an important role in treatment. It should be located in a separate room, in which wet cleaning and thorough ventilation are carried out 2 times a day. Bed rest is prescribed only in case of elevated temperature and complications. A sick child with a normal temperature should spend more time in the fresh air, but separately from healthy children. Fresh cold air has a very good effect on children with whooping cough, improving ventilation of the lungs and increasing the supply of oxygen to the body: coughing attacks become less frequent and weaker. Feeding children should be frequent (up to 10 times a day), but in small portions and better after a coughing attack. Regardless of the severity of the disease, the main place in treatment is given to antibiotics as prescribed by the doctor. Prevention Whooping cough in a group of children requires isolation of the patient, which is usually organized at home. Isolation continues until the 30th day from the onset of the disease. Children under 7 years of age who have not had whooping cough and have not received vaccinations are separated from children's groups for 14 days after contact with a sick person. Children over 7 years of age, as well as adults working in child care institutions and in contact with the patient, are subject to medical supervision for 14 days.

Laboratory research methods.

Nursing process for whooping cough.

Definition:

Whooping cough is an acute infectious disease caused by the pertussis bacillus, characterized by primary damage to the nervous system, respiratory tract and peculiar attacks of spasmodic cough.

General information:

The causative agent is the gram-negative bacillus Bordetella pertussis (Bordet-Zhangou bacillus). This is a stationary, small, short rod with a length of 0.502 microns. On nutrient media it grows slowly (3-4 days), 20-60 units of penicillin are usually added to them to suppress other flora, which easily suppresses the whooping cough bacillus; She is not sensitive to penicillin. The pertussis bacillus quickly dies in the external environment and is very sensitive to the effects of elevated temperature, sunlight, drying, and disinfectants.

Source of infection- a sick person.

Carriage is rare and short-lived.

Transmission path- airborne.

Receptivity - almost absolute and, moreover, from birth.

Immunity- persistent, lifelong.

Age aspect- the greatest number of diseases occurs between the ages of 1 and 5 years.

Reference features:

• bedside onset of whitening with general malaise, low-grade fever, slight runny nose and obsessive cough (1-2 weeks)
• a characteristic cough at the height of the disease with the presence of reprisal and redness of the face against the background of mild symptoms of intoxication;
• attacks of apnea with the release of thick viscous sputum and vomiting;
• hemorrhages in the sclera of the eyes and the appearance of ulcers on the frenulum of the tongue due to trauma to it from the incisors of the teeth;
• the occurrence of spasmodic coughing attacks when pressing on the root of the tongue and tragus of the ears;
• lack of effect from symptomatic therapy for 5-7 days.

• Complete blood count (leukocytosis, lymphocytosis against the background of normal or slow ESR);
• Bacteriological research method;
• Serological examination (agglutination reaction, RSK, RPGA);
• Immunofluorescent method (as a rapid diagnostic method).

Complications:

• Nosebleeds;
• hemorrhages in the conjunctiva, retina;
• cerebral hemorrhage with subsequent development of central paralysis;
• emphysema, pulmonary atelectasis, pneumothorax;
• cerebrovascular accident, cerebral edema;
• the addition of a secondary infection with the development of pneumonia, bronchitis, otitis media, sinusitis.

Treatment is often done at home,

indications for hospitalization are:

epidemic (children from closed children's groups),

age (first two years of life),

clinical (severe course of the disease and complicated forms of the disease).

Therapeutic and protective regime (traumatic procedures contribute to the appearance of coughing attacks).

24-hour maternal or nursing supervision (due to the risk of respiratory arrest and aspiration of vomit).

Sufficient oxygenation (sleeping in the fresh air, walking for many hours, good ventilation of rooms and wards)

Drug therapy:

• antibiotics (ampicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol) in the catarrhal period and the first two weeks of the period of spasmodic cough;
• antipsychotic drugs (aminosine, seduxen);
• drugs that thin sputum;
• inhalations with proteolytic enzymes;
• drugs that suppress the cough reflex.

Anti-epidemic measures:

• early detection of the patient;
• registration of the patient in the SES;
• isolation of the patient stops 25 days from the onset of the disease;
• identification of contacts;
• imposing quarantine on contacts (children under 7 years of age) for 14 days;
• bacteriological examination of contacts.

No disinfection is carried out.

Specific prevention:

Vaccination is carried out with DPT vaccine three times with an interval of 45 days, starting from 3 months of age, intramuscularly. Revaccination at 18 months. once.

Graph-logical structure.

Whooping cough.

Etiology Whooping cough bacillus (Borde-Gengou bacillus)

Source whooping cough patient

Transmission routes airborne

Development mechanism pathogen→upper respiratory tract→

respiratory catarrh

trachea→C.N.S.→ hyperexcitation of C.N.S.→spasm of bronchi, bronchioles, respiratory muscles, diaphragm, tonic convulsions of striated muscles

Clinic

periods of illness:

Period of illness	incubatory	catarrhal	spasmodic	permission
duration	14 days	14 days	4-6 weeks	2-3 weeks
signs	No	runny nose, dry cough (usually at night)	aura, spasmodic coughing attacks, reprises	Reduction of attacks, cough loses paroxysmal character
temperature	No	normal or subfebrile	normal
sputum	No	Small mucous discharge	Viscous transparent
Patient's appearance	ordinary	Manifestations of nasopharyngitis	vomiting after a coughing attack, facial hyperemia, scleral injection, lacrimation, ulcer on the frenulum of the tongue, random urination and defecation, puffiness of the face	Rare cough, possible return of paroxysmal cough when ARVI is added

Complications:

• addition of a secondary infection,
• defeat of the central nervous system (encephalopathy),
• hemorrhages,
• emphysema,
• hernias,
• cardiovascular disorders

Diagnostics:

• bacteriological examination (throat swab on Borde-Gangu),
• serological method (RSK),
• immunofluorescent method

Treatment principle:

• protective regime
• fresh air, oxygen therapy,
• mechanically pureed food,
• intensively organized leisure
• drug treatment: antibiotics (macrolides), neuroleptics, antispasmodics, antihistamines, vitamins A, C, K; antitussives

Specific prevention:

vaccination - with DTP vaccine from 3 months, three times with an interval of 1 month;

revaccination at 18 months

Activities in the outbreak:

• registration with the SES; isolation of the patient for 25 days from the beginning
• quarantine of contacts for 14 days from the moment of isolation of the patient
• bacteriological examination of contacts (throat swab on Borde-Gangu).

Control questions

1. Define the disease

2. State the cause of the disease

3. Name the main clinical manifestations of this infection

4. Describe the principles of treatment and the nursing process when caring for a patient.

5. Name the stages of anti-epidemic measures.

6. Name methods of prevention.

Both adults and children can get whooping cough. Immunity against this respiratory infection is developed only after a person has been ill once. In children, the manifestations are more severe, and complications can be very serious, including death. The vaccine is given in the first months of life. It does not guarantee complete protection against infection, but in vaccinated children the disease occurs in a much milder form. Doctors recommend that parents, when caring for children with whooping cough, protect them as much as possible from any factors that provoke a suffocating cough.

The causative agent of this disease is whooping cough (a bacterium called Bordetella). The infection affects the trachea and bronchi.

The respiratory tract is covered with the so-called ciliated epithelium, the cells of which have “cilia” that ensure the movement of mucus and its removal to the outside. When they are irritated by toxic substances secreted by whooping cough pathogens, the nerve endings transmit a signal from the epithelium to the brain (to the area responsible for coughing). The response is a reflex cough, which should push the source of irritation out. Bacteria are firmly held on the epithelium due to the fact that they have special villi.

It is characteristic that the cough reflex is so entrenched in the brain that even after the death of all bacteria, a strong urge to cough continues to persist for several more weeks. The waste products of pertussis bacteria cause general intoxication of the body.

Warning: Humans do not have innate immunity to this disease. Even an infant can get sick. Therefore, it is so important to protect him from contact with adults who have a strong, persistent cough. It may well be a sign of whooping cough, which in an adult, as a rule, does not have other characteristic manifestations.

A person’s susceptibility is so great that if a baby gets sick, the rest of the family will definitely become infected from him. Whooping cough lasts 3 months while the cough reflex exists. In this case, the disease has virtually no symptoms for about 2 weeks. If you somehow manage to establish in the very first days that the pertussis bacterium is present in the body, then you can quickly suppress the disease, since the dangerous cough reflex has not yet had time to take hold. Usually, symptoms of whooping cough in children are detected already at a severe stage. Then the disease continues until the cough gradually goes away on its own.

Video: How to prevent coughing attacks

How does infection occur?

Most often, children under the age of 6-7 years become infected with whooping cough. Moreover, in children under 2 years of age, the likelihood of infection is 2 times higher than in older children.

The incubation period for whooping cough is 1-2 weeks. For 30 days, the child should not visit a child care facility or have contact with other children, as whooping cough is highly contagious. Infection is only possible through airborne droplets during close contact with a sick person or bacteria carrier when he sneezes or coughs.

Outbreaks of the disease occur more often in the autumn-winter period. This is explained by the fact that whooping cough bacteria quickly die in the sun, and the length of daylight in winter and autumn is minimal.

Forms of whooping cough

When infected with whooping cough, the disease may occur in one of the following forms:

1. Typical - the disease develops consistently with all its inherent signs.
2. Atypical (erased) - the patient coughs only slightly, but there are no severe attacks. For some time, the cough may disappear altogether.
3. In the form of bacterial carriage, when there are no signs of the disease, but the child is a carrier of bacteria.

This form is dangerous because it can infect other people, while parents are confident that the baby is healthy. Most often, this form of whooping cough occurs in older children (after 7 years) if they have been vaccinated. The baby also remains a bacteria carrier after recovery from typical whooping cough until 30 days after the infection entered his body. Whooping cough often manifests itself in such a latent form in adults (for example, workers in child care institutions).

The first signs of whooping cough

At the initial stage, the disease does not cause much concern for parents, since the first signs of whooping cough resemble a common cold. The baby develops severe chills due to rising temperature, headache, and weakness. Snot appears, and then an intensifying dry cough. Moreover, ordinary cough remedies do not help. And only after a few days symptoms of typical whooping cough may appear, which gradually intensify.

Video: Whooping cough infection, symptoms, importance of vaccination

Periods of illness and characteristic symptoms of whooping cough

There are the following periods for the development of whooping cough symptoms in a child:

1. Incubation. The infection has already occurred, but there are no first signs of the disease. They appear only 6-14 days after the bacteria enter the body.
2. Premonitory. This is a period associated with the appearance of precursors of whooping cough: a dry, gradually increasing (especially at night) cough, a slight increase in temperature. At the same time, the child feels well. But this condition lasts 1-2 weeks without change.
3. Spasmodic. There are attacks of convulsive cough associated with an attempt to push out what is irritating the respiratory tract, and it is difficult to inhale air. After several coughing exhalations, a deep breath follows with a characteristic whistling sound (reprise), which occurs due to a spasm of the larynx in the vocal cords. After this, the baby shudders convulsively several times. The attack ends with the release of mucus or vomiting. Coughing attacks with whooping cough can be repeated from 5 to 40 times a day. The frequency of their appearance is a characteristic of the severity of the disease. During an attack, the child's tongue sticks out and his face is red-blue. The eyes turn red because the blood vessels burst due to tension. Breathing may stop for 30-60 seconds. This period of illness lasts approximately 2 weeks.
4. Reverse development (resolution). The cough gradually weakens, attacks appear for another 10 days, the pauses between them increase. Then severe symptoms disappear. The child coughs a little for another 2-3 weeks, but the cough is normal.

Note: In infants, painful attacks do not last so long, but after several coughing movements, breathing may stop. Oxygen starvation of the brain causes diseases of the nervous system and developmental delays. Even death is possible.

Video: How to recognize whooping cough

Possible complications

Complications of whooping cough can include inflammation of the respiratory system: lungs (pneumonia), bronchi (bronchitis), larynx (laryngitis), trachea (tracheitis). As a result of narrowing of the lumen of the respiratory passages, as well as spasms and swelling of tissues, death can occur. Bronchopneumonia develops especially quickly in children under 1 year of age.

Complications such as emphysema (bloating) and pneumothorax (damage to the lung wall and air leaking into the surrounding cavity) are possible. Severe tension during an attack can cause umbilical and inguinal hernias and nosebleeds.

After whooping cough, due to cerebral hypoxia, tissue damage to individual centers sometimes occurs, resulting in hearing impairment or epileptic seizures in the child. Seizures, which also occur due to disruption of brain function, are very dangerous and can lead to death.

Due to strain when coughing, damage to the eardrums and bleeding in the brain occurs.

Diagnosis of whooping cough in children

If a child's whooping cough occurs in a mild and atypical form, diagnosis is very difficult. The doctor can assume that the malaise is caused by this particular disease in the following cases:

• the child’s cough does not go away for a long time, the symptom only intensifies, while the runny nose and fever stopped after 3 days;
• expectorants do not have any effect; on the contrary, the state of health worsens after taking them;
• Between coughing attacks, the baby seems healthy and has a normal appetite.

In this case, to make sure that the patient has whooping cough, a bacteriological culture of a throat smear is done. The difficulty is that the bacterium is held quite firmly by the ciliated epithelium and is not removed outside. The likelihood that even in the presence of whooping cough pathogens they can be detected using this method is reduced to zero if the child has eaten or brushed his teeth before the procedure. They will be completely absent from the sample if the baby was given even an insignificant dose of antibiotic.

A general blood test is also done, which reveals a characteristic increase in the content of leukocytes and lymphocytes.

Methods for diagnosing whooping cough bacillus are used using a blood test for antibodies (ELISA, PCR, RA).

There is a rapid diagnostic method. The smear is treated with a special compound and examined under a microscope, which uses the effect of antibodies glowing when illuminated.

Warning: If there are characteristic symptoms of whooping cough, the child must be isolated to avoid infecting other people. In addition, his situation may worsen after communicating with people with colds or flu. Even after recovery, the body is weakened, the slightest hypothermia or infection causes severe complications of whooping cough.

Signs of pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the most common complications. Since parents know that whooping cough does not go away quickly, they do not always consult a doctor if there is a change in the baby’s condition. However, in some cases, delay is dangerous, so it is necessary to show the child to a specialist. Warning signs that require immediate treatment include:

Temperature increase. If this happens 2-3 weeks after the onset of whooping cough attacks, the baby does not develop a runny nose.

Increased cough after the child’s condition had already begun to improve. A sudden increase in the duration and frequency of attacks.

Rapid breathing between attacks. General weakness.

Treatment of whooping cough in children

Whooping cough is treated mainly at home, except when it affects babies under 1 year of age. Their complications develop rapidly, and the baby may simply not have time to save. A child of any age is hospitalized if complications arise or respiratory arrest occurs during attacks.

First aid at home for whooping cough

During a coughing attack, the baby should not lie down. He needs to be planted immediately. The room temperature should be no more than 16 degrees. You should turn off the heating completely and use a sprinkler to humidify the air.

It is important to calm and distract the baby with the help of toys and cartoons. Since the cause of cough is stimulation of the nerve center of the brain, fear and excitement provoke increased coughing and spasm in the respiratory tract. At the slightest deterioration of the condition, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance.

Note: As doctors emphasize, any means are good to stop and prevent an attack, as long as they evoke positive emotions in the baby. Watching children's TV shows, buying a dog or new toys, or going to the zoo force the brain to switch to the perception of new impressions and reduce sensitivity to irritation of the cough center.

How to alleviate the condition and speed up recovery

A sick baby needs to walk every day to prevent brain hypoxia and improve breathing. At the same time, we must remember that it can infect other children. Walking along the banks of a river or lake, where the air is cooler and more humid, is especially beneficial. It is not recommended to walk a lot; it is better to sit on a bench.

The patient should not be nervous.

An attack can be triggered by improperly organized nutrition. It is necessary to feed the baby often and little by little, mainly with liquid food, since the chewing movement also causes coughing and vomiting. As Dr. E. Komarovsky explains, in a child frightened by a previous attack while eating, even an invitation to the table often reflexively causes a whooping cough.

Warning: Under no circumstances is it recommended to self-medicate or use “grandmother’s remedies” to get rid of a cough. The nature of the cough in this case is such that heating and infusions do not get rid of it, and an allergic reaction to plants can lead to a state of shock.

In some cases, after consulting with your doctor first, you can use folk tips to relieve coughing. For example, traditional healers recommend preparing a compress for children over 13 years old from a mixture of equal amounts of camphor and eucalyptus oils, as well as vinegar. It is recommended to place it on the patient’s chest overnight. This helps make breathing easier.

Treatment with antibiotics

Whooping cough is usually detected at a stage when the cough reflex, which represents the main danger, has already developed. In this case, antibiotics do not help.

At the stage of the appearance of precursors of the disease, the baby is given only an antipyretic medicine if there is a slight rise in temperature. You cannot give him expectorants when a dry paroxysmal cough appears on your own, since the movement of sputum will cause increased irritation of the respiratory tract.

Antibiotics (namely erythromycin, which does not have a harmful effect on the liver, intestines and kidneys) are used to treat children from whooping cough at a very early stage, before severe coughing attacks have yet appeared.

They are taken more often for preventive purposes. If one of your family members gets whooping cough, taking an antibiotic will protect the children from the action of the bacterium. It kills the germ before a cough develops. An antibiotic will also help adult family members caring for a sick baby not to get sick.

Treatment in hospital

In cases of increased severity, a patient with whooping cough is hospitalized. The hospital uses drugs to eliminate respiratory failure and oxygen starvation of the brain.

If a child is admitted to the hospital at the first stage of the disease, then the task is to destroy microbes, stop attacks of apnea (stopping breathing), relieve seizures, and eliminate spasms in the bronchi and lungs.

To enhance the body's resistance to pertussis infection, gamma globulin is administered at an early stage. Vitamins C, A, and group B are prescribed. Sedatives are used (infusions of valerian, motherwort). To relieve spasms and convulsions, treatment with antispasmodics is used: calcium gluconate, belladonna extract.

Antitussive drugs do not have sufficient effect against whooping cough, however, during painful attacks, under the supervision of a doctor, they are given to children to facilitate the discharge of sputum. Among the drugs used are ambroxol, ambrobene, lazolvan (to thin sputum), bromhexine (stimulator of mucus excretion), aminophylline (relieves spasms in the respiratory organs).

When treating children for whooping cough, antiallergic drugs are also used, and in severe cases, tranquilizers (Seduxen, Relanium).

To reduce the frequency of attacks and reduce the likelihood of apnea, psychotropic drugs (aminazine), which also have an antiemetic effect, are used. Respiratory arrest is prevented by the administration of hormonal drugs. At the end of the spasmodic period, massage and breathing exercises are prescribed.

To prevent complications, oxygen therapy and sometimes artificial ventilation are used.

Video: Use of erythromycin for whooping cough, the importance of vaccination, cough prevention

Prevention

Since whooping cough is very contagious, when cases of the disease are detected in a children's institution, examination and preventive treatment of all children and adults who were in contact with the patient are carried out. Erythromycin is used, which kills whooping cough bacteria, as well as injections of gamma globulin, which stimulates the production of antibodies.

Infection of whooping cough in infants is especially dangerous. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the child’s stay in crowded places and communication with unfamiliar children and adults. If a child is brought from the maternity hospital, and one of the family members is sick, it is necessary to completely exclude his contact with the baby.

The main preventative measure is vaccination. It reduces the risk of infection. In case of illness, whooping cough is much easier.