Missouri NAACP State Conference Â· January 29 at 4:07pm Â· Civil Rights Attorney, Frankie Muse Freeman, is Honored on House Floor by State Rep. Steven Roberts
The first symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a common cold: 1  runny nose. 2  sneezing. 3  mild cough.  low-grade fever.
So know the signs of the disease: Whooping cough in babies starts off a lot like the common cold (runny nose, sneezing, a mild fever and a mild cough), but can worsen into longer fits of dry coughing. Some babies may not cough at all and instead will gag or gasp for air.