Impact of whooping cough on patients and their families

Abstract

The effects of whooping cough were studied in 21 children admitted to hospital with the disease and in their families. The illness caused considerable distress to both child and family. Parents suffered especially from fears for the life and health of their child and from serious loss of sleep. Two months after admission the child’s behaviour was still disturbed, but in most cases the rest of the family had returned to normal. There was much misunderstanding and misinformation about whooping cough among both parents and doctors. © 1985, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.