What whooping cough can sound like

The classic whoop happens when a person takes a sharp breath in after a run of coughs. The cough may be dry and exhausting, and fits can end with gagging or vomiting. Babies, adults and vaccinated people may have a different sound or no audible whoop.

Other respiratory illnesses can also cause harsh or prolonged coughing. The sound heard over a phone call or at home cannot confirm pertussis, so the pattern, contact history and examination matter.

Note when the cough began, whether it comes in clusters, whether it interrupts sleep, and whether vomiting or breathlessness follows a fit. Keep the person away from close contact with babies where possible until a clinician advises. Call ahead before attending a clinic if Whooping Cough is a concern, so staff can guide you safely.

A clinician may consider testing or Antibiotic Treatment depending on the illness, timing and exposure history. Do not use a recording of a cough as a substitute for assessment.

Seek emergency care for difficulty breathing, pauses in breathing, blue or grey lips or face, collapse, or a baby who cannot feed normally. Arrange prompt review for a worsening Cough, repeated vomiting after coughing, dehydration, or Fever that accompanies a persistent cough.

Could this cough pattern need testing for pertussis? How should we reduce spread at home? Is treatment appropriate now? Which household contacts, particularly babies or pregnant people, need advice?