Whooping Cough (Pertussis) in Children: Signs & Protection

Quick Answer

Whooping cough (pertussis, or “kali khansi”) is a very contagious bacterial infection of the airways. It often starts like a common cold and then turns into severe coughing fits that last for weeks. Older children may make a sharp “whoop” sound when they gasp in after a bout, and many vomit after coughing.

Babies are at the highest risk. Very young or unvaccinated babies can become seriously ill. Instead of a “whoop,” a young baby may have pauses in breathing (apnoea), turn blue, or struggle to feed - this is a medical emergency.

Whooping cough needs a doctor: it is diagnosed and treated by a doctor, and antibiotics work best when started early (they also reduce spread). Vaccination is the key protection. Call 112 or 108 for any baby or child who has pauses in breathing, turns blue, or struggles to breathe or feed.

What Is Whooping Cough (Pertussis)?

Whooping cough is an infection of the breathing passages caused by a bacteria. In Hindi it is often called kali khansi. It is extremely contagious - it spreads easily when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and family members frequently pass it to each other at home.

The “whoop” in the name comes from the high-pitched sound an older child makes while gasping for air after a long bout of coughing. But not every person with whooping cough actually whoops - young babies in particular often do not make this sound, which is one reason the illness can be missed in the very children who are most at risk.

Symptoms & Stages

Whooping cough usually develops in stages, and the cough can stretch on for many weeks.

Early stage (first 1-2 weeks) - This looks just like a common cold:

• Runny or blocked nose
• Mild, occasional cough
• Sometimes a mild fever

At this point it is hard to tell apart from any ordinary cold, but the child is already very contagious.

Coughing-fit stage (next several weeks) - The cough becomes severe and comes in bouts or fits:

• Long bursts of coughing, one after another, that can make it hard to catch a breath
• A sharp “whoop” sound as the child breathes in after a bout (mainly in older children)
• Vomiting after a coughing fit
• Exhaustion and a red or watery face after coughing
• Fits are often worse at night

Recovery stage - The coughing fits slowly become less frequent, but a lingering cough can hang around for weeks more. This is why whooping cough is sometimes called the “100-day cough.”

Babies Are at the Highest Risk

This is the most important part of the article. Young babies - especially those too young to be fully vaccinated - can become dangerously ill with whooping cough.

In a young baby, the illness often does not look like the classic whoop. Instead, watch for:

• Pauses in breathing (apnoea) - the baby seems to stop breathing for moments
• Turning blue or very pale, or going floppy, during or after coughing
• Struggling to feed or feeding very poorly
• Becoming exhausted from the effort of coughing

Whooping cough in a baby can lead to life-threatening complications and must be treated as a medical emergency. Do not wait to see if it gets better on its own. A young baby with a bad cough, or any of the warning signs above, needs to be seen urgently.

It Needs a Doctor

Whooping cough is diagnosed and treated by a doctor - it is not something to manage with home remedies alone.

• A doctor confirms the diagnosis based on the cough pattern, the child’s history, and sometimes tests.
• Antibiotics can help, and they work best when started early in the illness. They can ease things for the child and, importantly, reduce the spread to others. The doctor decides if and when antibiotics are needed and prescribes them.
• Close contacts (family members, especially anyone around a newborn or a pregnant woman) may need a doctor’s advice, as they may need protection or treatment too.

We are not giving any medicine names or doses here on purpose - that is for your doctor to decide based on your child. The key message is simple: if you suspect whooping cough, get seen early.

Prevention - Vaccination Is Key

The single most effective protection against whooping cough is vaccination.

• The childhood vaccine that protects against pertussis is given in combination with other vaccines (for example in the DTP / pentavalent vaccines), with booster doses later. Following the routine schedule builds your child’s protection.
• Keep your child’s vaccinations up to date. Missed or delayed doses leave a child less protected. If your child has missed any, ask your paediatrician about catching up.
• Vaccination in pregnancy, when advised by your doctor, helps pass protection to the baby for the first vulnerable weeks of life.
• “Cocooning” means making sure the people around a newborn - parents, grandparents, caregivers - are protected, so they don’t bring the infection home to a baby who is too young to be fully vaccinated.

Together, these steps build a protective ring around the youngest, most vulnerable babies.

When to See a Doctor / Emergency

See a doctor if your child has:

• Severe coughing fits or bouts of coughing
• A “whoop” sound when breathing in after coughing
• Vomiting after coughing
• A cough that won’t go away and keeps getting worse
• Been exposed to someone with whooping cough - especially important if you are pregnant or there is a newborn at home

Call 112 (national emergency) or 108 (ambulance) immediately - this is an emergency - if a baby or child:

• Has pauses in breathing during or after coughing
• Turns blue, goes very pale, or becomes floppy
• Is struggling to breathe or to feed
• Is a young baby with a bad cough

Do not wait it out. With whooping cough in babies, getting help early can be life-saving.

Indian Context

In India, whooping cough is well known as kali khansi, and it has not disappeared. A few practical points for Indian parents:

• Keep your child’s vaccines up to date through the routine immunisation schedule - this is your strongest tool against pertussis.
• Protect newborns by making sure those around the baby are healthy and, where advised, vaccinated, and by following your doctor’s advice on vaccination during pregnancy.
• Don’t rely on home remedies (kadha, honey, steam, over-the-counter cough syrups) for a severe or persistent cough in a child, and never give cough medicines to a baby without a doctor’s guidance.
• A severe cough with fits, a whoop, or vomiting after coughing deserves a proper check-up - get your child seen rather than waiting for weeks.

This follows general paediatric guidance for protecting children from pertussis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How is whooping cough different from a normal cough or cold?

A: It often starts exactly like a cold, but after a week or two it turns into severe coughing fits that come in bursts and can make it hard to breathe. Older children may make a “whoop” sound and vomit after coughing, and the cough drags on for many weeks. A normal cold cough is usually milder and settles in a few days. If a cough is severe, comes in fits, or just won’t go away, see a doctor.

Q: Why is whooping cough so dangerous for babies?

A: Young babies have small airways and may be too young to be fully vaccinated. Instead of a “whoop,” they may have pauses in breathing, turn blue, go floppy, or struggle to feed - and they are at risk of serious, life-threatening complications. That is why whooping cough in a baby is treated as a medical emergency: call 112 or 108 right away.

Q: My child is fully vaccinated - can they still get whooping cough?

A: Vaccination is the best protection and greatly lowers the risk and severity, but no vaccine is 100%. A vaccinated child can still occasionally get whooping cough, usually in a milder form. Keeping up to date with all doses and boosters gives the strongest protection, both for your child and for younger babies around them. See your doctor if symptoms appear.

Q: Does whooping cough get treated with antibiotics?

A: It is treated by a doctor, and antibiotics can help - especially when started early - and also reduce spread to others. Whether antibiotics are needed, and which ones, is the doctor’s decision based on your child. We don’t give any drug names or doses here. The important thing is to get seen early rather than waiting.

Q: Someone in our home has whooping cough and we have a newborn - what should we do?

A: Treat this seriously. Contact your doctor promptly - close contacts, especially around a newborn or during pregnancy, may need specific advice or protection. Watch the baby very closely for any pauses in breathing, blue colour, or feeding trouble, and call 112 or 108 at once if you see them. Don’t wait to see if the baby “catches it” mildly.

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Worried about a cough that won’t settle, or about protecting your baby from whooping cough? You don’t have to figure it out alone - join here to connect with Babynama’s paediatric team and other parents.

This article is for general information and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice. Always consult your paediatrician, and seek emergency care for breathing difficulty.