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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffInfants are typically hospitalized for treatment because whooping cough is more dangerous for that age group. If your child can't keep down liquids or food, intravenous fluids may be necessary. Your child will also be isolated from others to prevent the infection from spreading.
Treatment for older children and adults usually can be managed at home.
Medications
Antibiotics kill the bacteria causing whooping cough and help speed recovery. Family members may be given preventive antibiotics. Unfortunately, not much is available to relieve the cough. Over-the-counter cough medicines, for instance, have little effect on whooping cough and are discouraged.
- Pertussis (whooping cough): What you need to know. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Pertussis. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Hewlett EL. Whooping cough and other bordetella infections. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Long SS. Pertussis. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 19th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2011. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated recommendations for use of tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) in pregnant women and persons who have or anticipate having close contact with an infant <12 months. 2011;60:1424. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6041a4.htm?s_cid=mm6041a4_e%0d%0a. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Yeh S, et al. Clinical features and diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Byrd EM, et al. Clinical features and diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection in adolescents and adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Yeh S. Treatment and prevention of Bordetella pertussis infection in infants and children. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
- Byrd EM, et al. Treatment and prevention of Bordetella pertussis infection in adolescents and adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 6, 2011.
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