Why Immunising Your Child Against Whooping Cough Matters — Especially Now
By pediatrician and respiratory physician Dr. Marc Theilhaber
Whooping cough (pertussis) is making a strong comeback here in Victoria, with rising numbers of cases being reported. That’s exactly why immunising your child is more important than ever — the risk of catching it is higher, and vaccination is one of the best ways to protect your family.
Here are three key reasons why immunising your child is a smart move — not just for their health, but for your whole family’s peace of mind.
1. It Protects Your Child From a Nasty and Long-Lasting Illness
Whooping cough isn’t just another childhood bug. It causes long bouts of very intense coughing — sometimes so severe that children struggle to breathe, eat, or sleep. The illness can drag on for weeks or even months, and for babies and toddlers, it can lead to serious complications. And those antibiotics we doctors give for whooping cough? They don’t actually help your child cough any less – most of the time it’s too late for that. But it helps stopping your child from infecting others – in your family, at childcare or at school.
Vaccinating gives your child strong protection. Even if they do catch whooping cough (which can occasionally still happen), the symptoms are usually much milder and easier to manage.
2. It Keeps Your Child in School, at Play, and Out of Hospital
Whooping cough can mean weeks away from school or childcare, missed birthday parties, sleepless nights, and cancelled family plans. Worse, it sometimes leads to hospital stays — especially in young children.
By immunising, you’re helping your child stay healthy, active, and involved in all the things that make being a child fun — with fewer interruptions and far less stress.
3. It Helps Protect Your Whole Family From Getting Sick
Whooping cough spreads easily — especially within households. If one child brings it home, it often passes to siblings, parents, and even grandparents. And while it’s most dangerous for babies, adults can get quite sick too.
Vaccinating your child helps stop the infection at the door, keeping everyone in your home safer and saving you from a difficult few weeks of illness and recovery.
In a Nutshell
Vaccinating your child against whooping cough is a simple but powerful way to protect their health — and your family’s too. It gives everyone in your family a safer home during a time when whooping cough is once again spreading widely across Victoria.
If you’re not sure whether your child is up to date, or you have questions about the vaccine, we’re here to help. Just give us a call or book in to chat with one of our specialist GPs.
