A paediatrician at The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) has urged parents to get themselves and their children immunised against whooping cough.

Dr Jenny Royle, who runs the RCH Immunisation Centre, says there’s a whooping cough epidemic in Australia, with babies most at risk.

“Whooping cough is a horrible disease.  My worry is that for every adult that catches whooping cough, what baby are they going to spread it to?” Dr Royle said.

The number of reported cases of whooping cough in Victoria has more than doubled in the past 12 months, with 1,813 cases reported to date this year, compared with 713 the same time last year.

The disease is most serious in babies under 12 months of age. What may begin with symptoms including severe coughing spasms, poor feeding and a ‘whooping’ sound heard while breathing in, can lead to complications such as permanent brain damage, long term lung damage or death.

Dr Royle says the disease may be relatively mild in adults or present itself as a ‘100-day cough’, but it is highly contagious and can spread easily to children.  Protection from immunisation begins to fade after six to ten years, so a booster vaccine is recommended for adults.

“It’s a particularly good idea for adults who are planning pregnancy to get vaccinated, or both parents soon after the birth of their baby,” she said.

Adults working with or caring for young babies, such as health care workers, child care workers and grandparents are also recommended to obtain the booster vaccine.

Whooping cough vaccination is offered as part of the government funded immunisation program for babies.

“It’s important for babies to be immunised at two, four and six months of age.  This must be done on time if babies are to receive the best level of protection,” Dr Royle said.

A booster vaccine is given to children at four years of age and in year 10 of secondary school.