How long, on avrage does Whooping cough last? Please answer if you have ever had it, or know about it?

My mom has whooping cough, and it has been about a month since she has had this constans cough, and she was told she has whooping cough. How long does it las, it has already been a month and she is really worried. Any other information you have on whooping cough whould be greatly appricated.

Thanks,
Anthony

Whopping caugh can last an average 106 days. You have trouble sleeping. It starts as a simple common cold, but then you get the whooping caugh.

That is a long time for that. She should go to the doctor and make sure that everything is ok. One thing that does help is to sit in the bathroom at night (LATE) with the shower running hot hot hot and breath in the steam for a while and then go out side in the cold air and breate that in. It does help with temporary relief but definately get to a Dr. to make sure there isn't something secondary going on.

Signs and Symptoms

The first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a common cold:

* runny nose
* sneezing
* mild cough
* low-grade fever

After about 1 to 2 weeks, the dry, irritating cough evolves into coughing spells. During a coughing spell, which can last for more than a minute, the child may turn red or purple. At the end of a spell, the child may make a characteristic whooping sound when breathing in or may vomit. Between spells, the child usually feels well.

Although it's likely that infants and younger children who become infected with B. pertussis will develop the characteristic coughing episodes with their accompanying whoop, not everyone will. However, sometimes infants don't cough or whoop as older children do. They may look as if they're gasping for air with a reddened face and may actually stop breathing for a few seconds during particularly bad spells.

Adults and adolescents with whooping cough may have milder or atypical symptoms, such as a prolonged cough without the coughing spells or the whoop.

Duration

Pertussis can cause prolonged symptoms. The child usually has 1 to 2 weeks of common cold symptoms first. This is followed by approximately 2 to 4 weeks of severe coughing, though the coughing spells can sometimes last even longer. The last stage consists of another several weeks of recovery with gradual resolution of symptoms. In some children, the recovery period may last for months.

Home Treatment

If your child is being treated for pertussis at home, follow the schedule for giving antibiotics exactly as your child's doctor prescribed. Giving your child cough medicine probably will not help, as even strong cough medicines usually can't relieve the coughing spells of whooping cough.

During recovery, let your child rest in bed and use a cool-mist vaporizer. This will help loosen respiratory secretions and soothe irritated lungs and breathing passages. (If you use a vaporizer, be sure to follow directions for keeping it clean and mold-free, usually with small amounts of bleach.) In addition, try to keep your home free of irritants that can trigger coughing spells, such as aerosol sprays, tobacco smoke, and smoke from cooking, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves.

Children with whooping cough may vomit or not eat or drink as much because of frequent coughing. So offer smaller, more frequent meals and encourage your child to drink lots of fluids. Watch for signs of dehydration too, including: thirst, irritability, restlessness, lethargy, sunken eyes, a dry mouth and tongue, dry skin, crying without tears, and fewer trips to the bathroom to urinate (or in infants, fewer wet diapers).

I know this information talks a lot about children... but most of it also works for adults