What should you know about over the counter medicine for whooping cough?

Over-the-counter cough medicines may offer limited comfort for whooping cough, but medical assessment is needed to guide treatment and protect others. Whooping cough is a contagious infection that can cause repeated coughing bouts and breathing difficulty.

A cough suppressant or soothing preparation may not stop the repeated spasms that characterise whooping cough. Follow the label, avoid combining products with overlapping ingredients, and never give an adult product to a child unless a clinician or pharmacist confirms it is suitable.

A cough may be accompanied by fever, vomiting after coughing or exhaustion. Babies and young children can become unwell without a dramatic cough, which is why age and breathing pattern matter.

Offer frequent fluids, allow quiet rest and keep the air free from smoke. Sit upright during coughing episodes and monitor breathing. Avoid close contact with infants and people at higher risk until a clinician advises on infectiousness and treatment.

Contact a clinician promptly if whooping cough is suspected. Antibiotic treatment may be considered for the infection and for reducing spread, but it must be prescribed after assessment. Check vaccination history and ask whether childhood immunisation is up to date.

Call emergency services for blue or grey lips, pauses in breathing, severe breathing difficulty, collapse, unusual sleepiness, or inability to drink. Seek prompt medical care for an infant with coughing, repeated vomiting, dehydration, or a fever, and for any person whose breathing is worsening.

Ask whether testing or antibiotic treatment is appropriate, how long the person may be infectious, and how to protect household members. Share the person’s age, vaccination history, medicines and any breathing pauses.