Product Details

While common cold and flu viruses can cause ordinary coughs (which can often be relieved with humidifiers and cough syrups), Bordetella pertussis bacteria causes "whooping cough," a serious cough that can go on for over 6 weeks!

Whooping cough causes up to 40 coughing spells a day that can last over a minute each and often end with a "whoop" of gasped air. While in older children and adults the risks are generally slight, small children can suffer oxygen deprivation and turn blue. Fortunately, vaccines have hugely reduced the number of incidents of whooping cough, particularly in young children. In countries where vaccination is common practice, whooping cough fatalities have declined from tens of thousands a year to a few dozen!

GIANTmicrobes® are stuffed animals that look like tiny microbes — only a million times actual size! They're humorous, educational, and fun! Each GIANTmicrobes® comes with an image and information about the real microbe it represents. They make great learning tools, as well as amusing gifts for anyone with a sense of humor.  Collect them all!

 Ages 3+