TYLER (KYTX) - Parents were the one's being educated tonight on Whooping Cough.
That's after 4 confirmed cases in Tyler area schools and one more possible case.
Parents tonight were most concerned with how clean the schools were and how easily spread Whooping Cough could be between students.
Doctors and health officials wanted to remind parents, it's just as important for you to be vaccinated, as it is for your kids.
Dixie Sharp fired off questions about the affects of Whooping Cough between students.
"We know kids, they share forks, they share toys," says Sharp.
She says her main concern is keeping her 5-year-old, Brittany, safe.
"With her having asthma the way she does, I'm a little bit more vigilant with her," says Sharp.
She was just one voice heard in an informational meeting at the Plyler Complex, as health officials from the school district and county explained Whooping Cough.
"It's an infection that's spread through perpetratory droplets in the same way the flu is spread and so encouraging people to practice good hygiene and good hygiene when coughing so not to spread the droplets," says Smith County Health Authority Dr. Jonathan MacClements.
Dr. MacClements says it's not an epidemic, but parents should be vigilant about vaccinations for their kids and themselves.
He says there is a higher than average number of cases in the state, but it's something doctors say to be aware of, not afraid of.
"Can be really serous for the younger child, under the age of one year for the neonate and for pregnant women. If get this paroxysms of coughing, can have some serious outcomes," saysDr. MacClements.
He says Whooping Cough, or Pertussis, is more often spread from adolescents or adults to children.
And the district says they're taking extra disinfecting precautions to keep your kids safe.
"As long as she's healthy, I'm ok," says Sharp.
Dr. MacClements said to keep in mind, we are getting close to flu season, and kids will have symptoms associated with that as well.
Doctors say just keep an eye out for symptoms, running nose, sneezing and coughing.
After about 2 weeks it reaches the severe stage where you can see children coughing very hard, sometimes causing breathing problems or even causing seizures.
Three of the confirmed cases in Tyler are at Andy Woods Elementary, one at Vista Academy.
There is also a possible case at Douglas Elementary that is still being confirmed.
