Whooping Cough - Symptoms

The second stage of whooping cough lasts about ten to fourteen days. During this period, the disease is often mistaken for a bad cold (see common cold entry). The patient has teary eyes, sneezing, fatigue, poor appetite, and a runny nose.

The third stage of the disease lasts two to four weeks. It is during this stage that the characteristic whooping cough begins. The cough is thought to be caused by inflammation of the respiratory system. The breathing tubes become narrowed, making it difficult for the person to get enough air to breathe normally. The effort to get air causes the gasping sound that accompanies the cough.

Severe exhaustion often occurs during the third stage of the disease. Patients can work so hard to get enough oxygen into their lungs that they become very tired. In children with whooping cough, the skin may begin to turn blue. The blue color indicates that the child's body is not getting enough oxygen.

Serious complications may also develop during this stage. For example, children may experience brain damage. Brain damage can occur because the brain is not getting enough oxygen, which causes brain cells to die. Also, the violent shaking caused by coughing can cause physical damage to the brain. An inadequate supply of oxygen to the brain can also cause seizures.

Another complication of whooping cough is hernias (see hernia entry). Hernias are abnormal protrusions (pushing out) of the intestine through the abdominal wall. The force of the coughs can cause the pressure needed to produce a hernia.

As the patient becomes weaker, he or she may become more subject to other bacterial infections of the lung, such as pneumonia (see pneumonia entry).

The final stage of whooping cough is recovery. This stage can last up to four weeks. Over this time, coughing may gradually become less intense as the patient gets better.