by Tracey Chipps
Professional Nanny & TANG Founder
By now I am sure that most of you have heard about the Whooping Cough (Pertussis) outbreak that has hit almost every state in our country. Does the social media and news hype these outbreaks? Absolutely! However, that is no reason to ignore the warnings and take precautions in caring for the children in our care. It is part of our responsibility as Professional Nannies to bring this information to the attention of our employers, make certain our charges are vaccinated in a timely manner, and be vaccinated as Professional Nannies and Parents when recommended. It has been reported that the outbreak of Whooping Cough (Pertussis) we are facing in 2012 is the worst outbreak since the 1950’s. This statistic led me to ask many questions at Baby J’s last pediatrician appointment. I want to share this information with Nannies and Parents across the country to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect the children. So, what is Whooping Cough (Pertussis)? Baby J’s pediatrician explained that it is an infection of the respiratory system caused by the bacterium Bordetella Pertussis. It may not be recognized as Whooping Cough at onset but after a couple of weeks the coughing spells become severe and end in a whooping sound. It affects infants younger than 6mths old before they are fully covered by their immunizations. Children 11-18 may also be affected as their Whooping Cough (Pertussis) vaccine from earlier years is starting to fade. Each pediatrician may have their own recommendation so be sure to check with yours. Baby J’s pediatrician recommended that the adults be vaccinated to help from spreading the disease. I got my vaccine quickly and easily from my family doctor after making an appointment. Ask your employer if they are willing to cover the cost of the vaccine if you do not have insurance or remember to keep the receipt for tax purposes. Most insurance companies do cover the vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported the following “During the first half of 2012, increased pertussis activity or outbreaks have been reported in a majority of states, and Washington declared a pertussis epidemic in April. As of August 11, 2012, 46 states and Washington, D.C. have reported increases in disease compared with the same time period in 2011. Provisional counts from our surveillance system indicate that more than 22,000 cases of pertussis were reported to CDC through August 11, 2012. 13 pertussis-related deaths have been reported during that same time period. The majority of deaths continue to occur among infants younger than 3 months of age. The incidence rate of pertussis among infants exceeds that of all other age groups. The second highest rates of disease are observed among children 7 through 10 years old. Rates are also increased in adolescents 13 and 14 years of age.”
Learn more by visiting the Center for Disease Control.
Another helpful website is Kids Health.
If you are unsure what the Whooping Cough sounds like you may download the sounds and video here