'Highly Contagious' Whooping Cough In Chatham School

CHATHAM, NJ - Chatham Superintendent Michael LaSusa sent home a letter Tuesday to families warning them that there was a confirmed case of whooping cough (pertussis) and a suspected case in the district. Both cases are at Chatham Middle School.

The letter shared symptoms and next steps that should be taken by the community and will be taken by the district should more cases develop.

The complete transcript of the letters is below:

Dear Parent/Guardian:
I am writing to make you aware that we have had one confirmed case and one suspected case of pertussis (whooping cough) identified at Chatham High School. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that is spread through the air by a cough or a sneeze. Pertussis begins with cold symptoms and a cough, which become much worse over 1-2 weeks. Symptoms usually include a long series of coughing fits followed by a whooping noise. However, older children, adults and very young infants may not develop the whoop. There is generally only a slight fever. People with pertussis may have a series of severe coughing fits followed immediately by vomiting, turning blue, or difficulty catching breath. The cough is often worse at night, and cough medicines usually do not help alleviate the cough. If you notice any of the above symptoms in your family members, please consult with your healthcare provider.

If your child has been around someone with pertussis, s/he might become sick with the disease. This is especially true if your child is not up-to-date with his/her pertussis vaccine shots. Even if your child’s shots are up-to-date, s/he might still get pertussis.

If your child has been in contact with someone with pertussis, antibiotics prescribed by your doctor may prevent him/her from becoming ill. If your child is already sick, giving antibiotics early can help your child get well faster and lower the chances of spreading the disease to others.
Please consider the following New Jersey Department of Health recommendations:

1. Infants under one year old, especially those under six months, are most likely to have severe symptoms if they develop pertussis. When possible, young infants should be kept away from people with a cough. Infants with any coughing illness should be seen promptly by their doctor.
2. Pertussis vaccine has until recently, been given only to children under 7 years old. However, an adolescent and adult pertussis booster vaccine is now available for persons 10 years of age and older. Adacel is approved for persons 11 through 64 years of age and Boostrix is approved for persons 10 years of age and older. If you have children who have not been completely immunized against pertussis (particularly infants under one year) we recommend you now talk to your child’s doctor about the benefits of vaccination.
3. If your child comes down with cold symptoms that include a cough, talk to your child’s doctor immediately. Tell the doctor that pertussis has been identified at your child’s school.
4. It is generally recommended that those persons having close contact with a pertussis case receive antibiotics from their doctor to help prevent them from getting pertussis.
5. Do not send your child to school if s/he has any signs or symptoms of pertussis.
We continue to monitor the situation at school and if additional actions to control t

he spread of pertussis among pupils become necessary, we will again notify parents. Please be advised that, due to the confidentiality of health matters of students, we will not release the identity of the student or other information pertaining to them, such as their school schedules. We have been advised by health care providers that this information is irrelevant because an infected person also visits hallways, restrooms, the cafeteria, the library, and other locations where there can be potential transmission of illness. Therefore, it is more important to monitor your child for symptoms than to attempt to pinpoint a possible exposure based on schedule. If you have general concerns or questions about pertussis, please contact your school nurse or the Madison Health Department at (973) 593-3079. If you have specific concerns or questions about your child’s health, contact your health care provider.

Sincerely,
Mike LaSusa

This is not the first time this school year LaSusa sent home such a letter. In December LaSusa reported a confirmed case of pertussis in Chatham High School and in September there was a confirmed case in Southern Boulevard School and a suspected case at Chatham Middle School.

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