The first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a cold, such as a runny nose, red and watery eyes, a sore throat, and a slightly raised temperature.

Intense coughing bouts start about a week later.

• The bouts usually last a few minutes at a time and tend to be more common at night.
• Coughing usually brings up thick mucus and may be followed by vomiting.
• Between coughs, you or your child may gasp for breath – this may cause a "whoop" sound, although not everyone has this.
• The strain of coughing can cause the face to become very red, and there may be some slight bleeding under the skin or in the eyes.
• Young children can sometimes briefly turn blue (cyanosis) if they have trouble breathing – this often looks worse than it is and their breathing should start again quickly.
• In very young babies, the cough may not be particularly noticeable, but there may be brief periods where they stop breathing.
• The bouts will eventually start to become less severe and less frequent over time, but it may be a few months before they stop completely.