10 Symptoms of Pertussis
Reviewed: Dr. Gromatzky
Symptom #8: Paroxysms
Paroxysms is the technical medical term for sudden attacks of a particular symptom. Where pertussis is concerned, these are attacks of coughing. We generally call them coughing fits, and they can be quite violent.
The coughing fits actually leave the patient short of breath as they have been unable to inhale during the coughing. This then causes them to breathe in heavily and sharply when they are able, resulting in the characteristic “whooping” sound. This can be very painful for the patient, particularly for young children. Coughing fits can also cause the patient to turn red or even purple in their face.
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