Protecting littlest lungs from whooping cough, as cases rise

Whooping cough often surges in the fall, and with a rising number of bacterial respiratory disease cases , doctors are reminding families of what can be done to protect those with the youngest lungs.

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“It often starts out as a mild cough, but then can progress to a more serious cough and respiratory distress,” said Dr. Katie Ryder , a family medicine physician at Kaiser Permanente in Silver Spring, Maryland.

The contagious disease can develop into painful coughing fits, often accompanied by a whooping sound as the person tries to catch their breath.

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