What parents should know about the whooping cough vaccine

Whooping cough, also called pertussis, is a contagious airway infection. Babies can become very unwell because coughing can interfere with feeding and breathing. Vaccination helps prepare the immune system, while everyday measures such as staying home when sick reduce opportunities for germs to spread.

A vaccination record can be useful at routine appointments. It lets the clinician identify whether a child or parent needs a scheduled dose, a catch-up discussion, or advice that reflects pregnancy, past reactions, or a weakened immune system.

Keep your child’s immunisation appointments and ask the clinic to check the record if a dose was missed. Adults who spend close time with a baby can ask whether their vaccination status needs reviewing. If somebody at home develops a persistent cough, limit close contact with infants while seeking clinical advice.

Tell the clinician about known exposure to whooping cough and any cough pattern, vomiting after coughing, poor feeding, or fever. Testing and antibiotic treatment may be considered according to the person’s symptoms and contact history.

Seek urgent medical assessment for a baby or child who has trouble breathing, pauses in breathing, blue or grey lips, marked sleepiness, dehydration, or difficulty feeding. Arrange a prompt review for worsening coughing, fever with a child who seems unwell, or a household exposure involving an infant.

Ask which vaccines are due for each member of the household, what to do after a missed dose, and whether a current cough needs examination or testing. If you are expecting a baby, ask how pregnancy affects the recommended vaccination plan.