Whooping cough does not often present complications but they are more common in young babies than in older children and adults. Minor complications can include small red spots on the face or chest, abdomen and back caused by tiny blood vessels bursting from coughing, bleeding into the whites of the eyes, nosebleeds and bruises and ear infection. More serious complications can include pneumonia(inflammation of the lungs), weight loss and dehydration due to vomiting, pauses in breathing(called apnoea), bronchiectasis(widening of the airways), a lack of oxygen to the brain which can cause fits and rarely, brain damage. An abdominal or inguinal hernia - a lump in the groin or abdomen(tummy) that occurs when part of the bowel pushes through a weakness in the muscles of the abdominal wall-may develop due to chronic coughing.
Attribution: BUPA
See also:
- Whooping cough
- Treatment of whooping cough-antibiotics
- Treatment of whooping cough-cough medicine
- Treatment of severe whooping cough