Common-sense approach urged with whooping cough

  • Published
  • By Tim Flack
  • 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Medical officials on Grand Forks are stressing that the community take a common-sense approach to a recently reported case of whooping cough on the base.

Col. Lisa Kuhar, who's serving temporarily as the Chief of Aerospace Medicine with the 319th Medical Group, said community members should take the same precautions they would use during the flu or cold season: use good hygiene, stay home if you're sick and call the clinic to make an appointment if you or one of your family members show any whooping cough symptoms.

Kuhar said people who aren't up to date on their whooping cough - or pertussis - vaccinations should get the immunization. The clinic has ample vaccine supplies on hand to treat the community, Kuhar said.

She explained that the Department of Defense had already announced that all active duty troops would be required to receive one dose of pertussis vaccination effective Jan. 1, 2013. But to help better protect the community, medical officials here plan to expedite the deadline.

"We're going to try to immunize all the active-duty troops right now here," she said. "Basically our push is going to be, 'We want to immunize everyone who hasn't been immunized, isn't current or up to date with their pertussis immunization," Kuhar said.

"The take-home message is, "If your child is ill, keep him home ... if you're ill, stay at home," she said.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, whooping cough starts with the following symptoms:
  • Runny or stuffed-up nose
  • Sneezing
  • Mild cough
  • A pause in breathing (apnea)
After 1 to 2 weeks, coughing, which can be violent, starts:
  • Children and babies can cough very hard, over and over
  • When children gasp for breath after a coughing fit, they make a "whooping" sound. This sound is where the name "whooping cough" comes from. Babies may not make this sound.
  • Coughing fits make it hard to breath, eat, drink, or sleep. Coughing fits happen more at night.
  • Babies and young children may turn blue while coughing from a lack of oxygen.
  • Coughing fits can last for 10 weeks, and sometimes recur with the next respiratory illness.
If you suspect that you - or one of your family members - have been exposed to someone with whooping cough or are experiencing symptoms, please call the clinic at 747-5601.

For more information, see attachments here.