Pertussis (whooping cough) is a highly contagious respiratory disease that causes violent and uncontrollable coughing that typically leads to difficulty breathing. Teens with whooping cough can have a serious and debilitating cough that can last for weeks and they can easily spread the disease to others. Protection from whooping cough fades over time, so at 11 or 12 years old, children need a dose of Tdap, even if they had been vaccinated in childhood. Teens who have never received the dose are also recommended to get vaccinated.
