PASADENA (CNS) – Pasadena officials warned Friday that people who visited the Kidspace Children’s Museum Tuesday should watch for symptoms of Whooping cough after an infected resident was confirmed to have been there.
The resident was at the museum at 480 N. Arroyo Blvd. between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., Pasadena spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said.
Whooping cough, also known as Pertussis, is a bacterial illness that can spread easily, according to the Mayo Clinic. Many sufferers get a serious hacking cough. Inhaling after coughing often causes a high-pitched noise that sounds like a “whoop.”
Cold-like symptoms usually appear five to 21 days after exposure and there can be a low-grade fever of less than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, Derderian said. “If you were at Kidspace Childrens Museum during this time frame, you and your family should monitor for symptoms in your household, especially in children, for up to 21 days.”
Anyone who develops symptoms should contact their health care provider and remain at home until cleared by a doctor or after five days of antibiotic treatment, she said.
Many babies with the illness don’t cough at all, the Mayo Clinic said. Some babies and young children might gag or struggle to breathe, have skin, lips or nails that turn blue or purple or have life-threatening pauses in breathing called apnea.
For infants under the age of 1, their caregivers and pregnant women may need preventive antibiotics if they were exposed, Derderian said.
It can be prevented by the Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) shot and boosters, she said. The Pasadena Public Health Department offers the vaccines by appointment.
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