Protect the Kids From the Whoop

Whooping Cough. I remember this as the commercial with the mother laying the baby on her chest and the audio was a horrendous cough. I haven’t seen this commercial in years, but it was so heart-wrenching it stuck with me. That was just someone on a screen that I didn’t know at all. I cannot imagine actually experiencing having to watch a poor baby struggle. Watching someone struggle that is older is bad, but someone as innocent as an infant is just horrendous. When there is something to be done to protect these babies everyone should be kind enough to do so.

Whooping cough is caused by the Bordetella pertussis bacteria. It can be spread very easily by coughing and sneezing, making it highly contagious and easy for someone to just breathe into the respiratory tract. The best way to prevent whooping cough is to stay up to date on vaccines. This vaccine is in a combo with diphtheria and tetanus (DTaP) and is given in a series of shots. It is given at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, 15-18 months, and 4-6 years. You are also then to get booster shots as adolescents, adults, and pregnant women. If all of these things are done, you are doing all things possible to help stop the spread of infection.

Teens and Adults have no problems recovering from Whooping Cough. Some may not even know they have it. They may just think they have a nasty cold. To their body it will not pose a major threat, but them contracting the infection is not the issue they need to worry about. Despite not currently being vaccinated against it, they have a stronger immune system that can fight it off. The main problem is them having whooping cough, but not realizing it, then they spread it to an infant, posing the risk of death to the infant. This is why we need to be good stewards and get our booster shots. If you stay up to state with your boosters, then you are protecting the infants in your life and any innocent baby you may come into contact with. In my family when a baby is born everyone is told to make sure they have all of their boosters before the baby is born. If they do not comply they are not allowed to see the baby. People should stop getting mad at mothers who ask this. They are caring for their child who is not old enough for the vaccine and you should be courteous enough to get a booster.