Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 So, most of my kids are vaccinated. The one who is not fully vaccinated has a SEVERE egg allergy. Anyway, I have THREE kids with what I believe to be whooping cough. I've listened to the youtube videos and it's what they have. My 15 yo is in his 5th week and is finally better (fully vaccinated). My 10 yo (asthmatic) is in his 8th week and has been better for a while. He's coughing in the morning now and that's it. My 13 yo never got it. He was fully vaccinated and actually had it as a 2 yo (diagnosed). My 5 yo is in her 6th week and is the one I'm concerned about. She is vaccinated, but sounds HORRIBLE!!! She goes through bouts where she's better, but then gets worse for a couple days - she's vomiting because she's coughing so hard. We've been to the doctor 5 times. He believes it started as a virus and is now allergies (her lungs are clear). He gave us an antibiotic just to be sure it wasn't anything bacterial. We tried Benadryl. It did not help. I've listened to the Youtube videos and I believe she has whooping cough too. I pray it's getting better. Anyone else? This is absolutely killing me. It's so hard to hear her cough and get so scared. This WILL get better right????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freetobeme Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 one of my sons and i had it a couple of years ago. it is also known as "100 day cough". i believe it. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 This sounds exactly how my mother describes her experience having whooping cough at age 5. She is now 74, so it does get better. I am so sorry your family is dealing with this. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Don't be surprised if it lasts at least 8 weeks and then anytime a cold is caught the cough can came back for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I was vaccinated as a child--but did not know that most adults should get a booster! I had this a few years ago. My cough lasted 120 days (3 weeks more than the average 100). I went through more than a case of 'Depends'--it was that bad! I was miserable. Once I had the course of antibiotics I was technically not contagious--but I was not able to go out in public coughing as hard as I was! The whooping-cough vaccine does not protect 100%-- but it does help. Also you do not gain immunity by having whooping cough-- you can get it again and again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NicAnn Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I'm so sorry! http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/577493/pertussis-first-hand-experiences-share-your-story-here This might help you see what to expect. There is also a book called Naturally Healthy Children (or something to that effect) by Aviva Jill Romm. I really recommend it. Best of health to your kiddos! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I am so sorry your family is going through this! I haven't experienced whopping cough. But my dd has an egg allergy, and she has had no problem with the pertussis vaccine. In fact, she had a booster for it last fall. She can't have the MMR or the flu vaccines, though. It seems whooping cough can last for a couple months. Hopefully you are nearing the end. Hang in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 one of my sons and i had it a couple of years ago. it is also known as "100 day cough". i believe it.:grouphug: I'm starting to believe it! This is HORRIBLE!!!!! This sounds exactly how my mother describes her experience having whooping cough at age 5. She is now 74, so it does get better. I am so sorry your family is dealing with this. :grouphug: Thanks. It's been SO hard. And, very isolating. Don't be surprised if it lasts at least 8 weeks and then anytime a cold is caught the cough can came back for a few days. Great. So at least 2 more weeks for my dd. Luckily when she gets sick it's not horrible. So, I pray her next illnesses don't go to her chest!! Ugh. I was vaccinated as a child--but did not know that most adults should get a booster! I had this a few years ago. My cough lasted 120 days (3 weeks more than the average 100). I went through more than a case of 'Depends'--it was that bad! I was miserable. Once I had the course of antibiotics I was technically not contagious--but I was not able to go out in public coughing as hard as I was! The whooping-cough vaccine does not protect 100%-- but it does help. Also you do not gain immunity by having whooping cough-- you can get it again and again! I didn't know either!! I am the one who gave it to my 2 yo - 11 years ago. I had it while pregnant with my now - 11 yo. It was HORRIBLE then for me. And, yes. I needed Depends too. My now-5 yo dd is coughing so hard she's passing gas and she's TERRIBLY embarrassed. And, I get it! I feel SOOOOO isolated! Their coughs sound SO bad, we can't go out, even though we know they aren't contagious (if it is whooping cough). I'm so lonely. So, just reassure me that my 5 yo will not choke on her own fleghm? Please? Her cough is SO scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 DH, DD and I I had it about 5 years ago and it lasted a solid three months. Sorry. :>( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 I'm so sorry! http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/577493/pertussis-first-hand-experiences-share-your-story-here This might help you see what to expect. There is also a book called Naturally Healthy Children (or something to that effect) by Aviva Jill Romm. I really recommend it. Best of health to your kiddos! Thank you!! This is very informative. But, what is SA??? I see it mentioned as something that will help and I can't figure it out. We've been to our chiropractor and she has us on a number of homeopathic and herbal things, but nothing that starts with SA! Thanks! I am so sorry your family is going through this! I haven't experienced whopping cough. But my dd has an egg allergy, and she has had no problem with the pertussis vaccine. In fact, she had a booster for it last fall. She can't have the MMR or the flu vaccines, though. It seems whooping cough can last for a couple months. Hopefully you are nearing the end. Hang in there! Thanks! My ds was originally diagnosed with multiple allergies and we were then working with his allergies and pediatrician with vaccines. Mostly we put them off. Well, actually, after the first few, he's had nothing. All our doctors are fine with this. We were just SOOOO scared after his first three reactions to allergens (which required ER visits). Thank you though. I'm praying we are near the end. My now-11yo asthmatic is still "whooping" in the morning. But, he's not throwing up anymore. After his morning cough, he's better. But, my poor 5 yo is still having a VERY hard time. Ugh. I just can't take this much longer. I'm up all night worrying she'll cough!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 DH, DD and I I had it about 5 years ago and it lasted a solid three months. Sorry. :>( Three months of coughing until you threw up? Or was there a few weeks that were bad and it got better for a few weeks? I just need an end in sight for dd. 6 − 7 weeks she's been coughing. It seemed better and now it's worse again. A cough with a whoop I can handle. A cough where she's throwing up and having a hard time catching her breath, I'm having a hard time with!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 You might be interested to research the use of turmeric for whooping cough. Here is one blog where a lady did a whole series on whooping cough when they went through it. http://www.gwens-nest.com/natural-remedies/whooping-cough-natural-remedies-for-prevention-and-treatment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 If you get antibiotics, especially right away, it doesn't take long. If you don't know what it is, like us with one of our girls, it can take forever it seems. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 If you get antibiotics, especially right away, it doesn't take long. If you don't know what it is, like us with one of our girls, it can take forever it seems. :( You have to get the antibiotics during the cold stage before you even know it is whooping cough and then it MIGHT shorten it. But it may not help at all. The symptoms still have to run through. I know two families who went the antibiotic route and they coughed longer than those who didn't get them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tree House Academy Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Why doesn't the doc do the whooping cough test so you will know for sure? My ds11 (then 10) had a cough last summer that was HORRIBLE and lasted forever with no other sympotms - at all. I took him to the doc at least 3 times and they did x-rays, gave him steroids, shots, inhalers, etc. He still coughed. He sounded like the you tube videos too...but he came up negative for whooping cough. We still don't know what it was and it finally went away, but it was so awful. Wonderfully, none of the rest of us got it. I hope all of your crew feels better soon! And yes, no matter what it is, it WILL go away eventually! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Meriva (Curcumin) is tumeric in a capsule. I took it last winter when I had a pericarditis and what was similar anyway to whooping cough (though the doctors said that it wasn't that). I just gave some to my son who was almost throwing up from his bad cough. I have to confess that it took this thread to remind me that I had it and could give it to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Meriva (Curcumin) is tumeric in a capsule. I took it last winter when I had a pericarditis and what was similar anyway to whooping cough (though the doctors said that it wasn't that). I just gave some to my son who was almost throwing up from his bad cough. I have to confess that it took this thread to remind me that I had it and could give it to him. Good Idea!! :) I love natural ideas. We did antibiotics for my son, right away, and it helped a lot. But I always like natural... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wy_kid_wrangler04 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 No advice but I will add your dd to my list of prayers (I keep a list because I am not one to say I will pray for you then not pray- my list is long I would NEVER remember all those ;)) Keep us updated, ok? :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 As an adult it took me a solid 3 months to stop coughing constantly but the cough lingered for about a year. It took me a few years, to feel like my lungs healed. Something that really helped me, was taking a strong B-complex and vitamins A and C on top of my regular multi-vitamin. I felt so much better on the days that I took the vitamins! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Peregrine Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Three months of coughing until you threw up? Or was there a few weeks that were bad and it got better for a few weeks? I just need an end in sight for dd. 6 − 7 weeks she's been coughing. It seemed better and now it's worse again. A cough with a whoop I can handle. A cough where she's throwing up and having a hard time catching her breath, I'm having a hard time with!!! As an adult it took me a solid 3 months to stop coughing constantly but the cough lingered for about a year. It took me a few years, to feel like my lungs healed. Something that really helped me, was taking a strong B-complex and vitamins A and C on top of my regular multi-vitamin. I felt so much better on the days that I took the vitamins! Three months of coughing, coughing, coughing. Then, like Tap, Tap, Tap it took a good part of a year to be totally done. It was awful. I slept in a twin bed with DD for months, partly because I was terrified of her choking and partly because DH and I could not stand to sleep in the same room together because of all the coughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcatmom Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 (edited) I had WC last October and I don't think I actually stopped coughing (on a regular basis) until about January. I missed over 5 weeks of work and I was confirmed with having it. I knew it was something that I had never had before and I pushed the doctor to test me for it. I think because I work with fragile kids, he agreed to test me. The cough is so bad that you can not hold your bladder sometimes (sorry if TMI) and it can cause you to vomit as well. When I was sick, I couldn't even make dinner on most days, the slightest activity would bring on a fit. It was the most that I had ever laid on the couch. Never even went out or went to the store. Now, when I get sick, the cough always comes back...it's like a little bout of WC every time I get a cold now. Kinda weird. I had to pull my kids out of school (they were in PS) last fall and I had to keep them home for a week even after I got their negative test back, and they had been vaccinated as well. Both my Mom and my Husband and the kids all had to go on antibiotics for 7 days as well and the school would not let them return until they went on the medicine and complete the cycle even though the test was negative. It was a real pain. I hope your daughter feels better soon. I would push for a test because she needs to right medicine to not be contagious and to fight it. I agree with the others. It takes forever. Like I said, I still experience the cough, especially when I am feeling down or getting a cold. It just starts right back up. It was 5 solid weeks of coughing for me and then weeks and weeks of coughing and trying to muddle through work and feeling very run down. Edited July 30, 2011 by fourcatmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 I hope your daughter feels better soon. I would push for a test because she needs to right medicine to not be contagious and to fight it. The antibiotics may help the contagious part but I wouldn't count on them helping fight it unless you get them early, early on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaffodilDreams Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Hmmm. I wonder if I had this two years ago. I had a gut wrenching cough that lasted for months. It appeared towards the tail-end of the H1N1 flu so I just assumed it was a horrible lingering part of that flu. It did eventually go away, but I remember wondering if it ever would. I tried every cough syrup I could find, swallowed tons of honey, and drank many hot toddies. I hope your Dd feels better soon. Poor thing! And poor you! Worrying is no fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 You might be interested to research the use of turmeric for whooping cough. Here is one blog where a lady did a whole series on whooping cough when they went through it. http://www.gwens-nest.com/natural-remedies/whooping-cough-natural-remedies-for-prevention-and-treatment Thank you! I'm going to spend some time reading it today. If you get antibiotics, especially right away, it doesn't take long. If you don't know what it is, like us with one of our girls, it can take forever it seems. :( She did take antibiotics very early on. My 11 yo had it first and he's an asthmatic. They put him on antibiotics early on because it looked like a sinus infection in him. So, when dd got what appeared to be the same thing, our doc prescribed her antibiotics. I'm so glad we did because they aren't contagious with WC after a 5 day course of the antibiotics. It did nothing to help them though! You have to get the antibiotics during the cold stage before you even know it is whooping cough and then it MIGHT shorten it. But it may not help at all. The symptoms still have to run through. I know two families who went the antibiotic route and they coughed longer than those who didn't get them. Yea. That happened to us. We did the antibiotics before we even realized it was WC. Didn't shorten it at all for us, unfortunately. Why doesn't the doc do the whooping cough test so you will know for sure? My ds11 (then 10) had a cough last summer that was HORRIBLE and lasted forever with no other sympotms - at all. I took him to the doc at least 3 times and they did x-rays, gave him steroids, shots, inhalers, etc. He still coughed. He sounded like the you tube videos too...but he came up negative for whooping cough. We still don't know what it was and it finally went away, but it was so awful. Wonderfully, none of the rest of us got it. I hope all of your crew feels better soon! And yes, no matter what it is, it WILL go away eventually! Because after you have an antibiotic the test for WC is negative even if it's what you have. Our kids had the antibiotics before we realized it was WC. Your ds' cough sounds like our experience with my asthmatic - steroids, inhalers, etc, etc, etc. Nothing helped AT.ALL!!! And, there are a LOT of people who have a false negative with WC. I think if your ds had a cough that sounded like WC and followed the typical course of WC, he probably had it. Meriva (Curcumin) is tumeric in a capsule. I took it last winter when I had a pericarditis and what was similar anyway to whooping cough (though the doctors said that it wasn't that). I just gave some to my son who was almost throwing up from his bad cough. I have to confess that it took this thread to remind me that I had it and could give it to him. Thank you Jean! I'm going to look that up. Good Idea!! :) I love natural ideas. We did antibiotics for my son, right away, and it helped a lot. But I always like natural... I agree. I love the natural ideas too! No advice but I will add your dd to my list of prayers (I keep a list because I am not one to say I will pray for you then not pray- my list is long I would NEVER remember all those ;)) Keep us updated, ok? :grouphug: Thanks so much. This has just been awful. I lie awake at night being nervous about her next coughing spell. I don't think I've had a full night's sleep in over two months now. As in, I'm sleeping maybe 5 − 6 hours/night. I do covet your prayers. As an adult it took me a solid 3 months to stop coughing constantly but the cough lingered for about a year. It took me a few years, to feel like my lungs healed. Something that really helped me, was taking a strong B-complex and vitamins A and C on top of my regular multi-vitamin. I felt so much better on the days that I took the vitamins! Wow!!! Really? That is awful!!! I sure hope it doesn't last that long here! Thanks for the info on vitamins. Meg regularly takes vitamins, but I'll add those. Three months of coughing, coughing, coughing. Then, like Tap, Tap, Tap it took a good part of a year to be totally done. It was awful. I slept in a twin bed with DD for months, partly because I was terrified of her choking and partly because DH and I could not stand to sleep in the same room together because of all the coughing. Yup. I'm so scared of her choking. But, each time she's come close, she's thrown up. So, I guess that's her body's way of protecting itself from choking? Three months heh? Was it the horrible cough the entire time? Just thinking that she's got another six weeks of this is about to send me over the edge. I don't mind a cough, but this cough is SO scary!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 I had WC last October and I don't think I actually stopped coughing (on a regular basis) until about January. I missed over 5 weeks of work and I was confirmed with having it. I knew it was something that I had never had before and I pushed the doctor to test me for it. I think because I work with fragile kids, he agreed to test me. The cough is so bad that you can not hold your bladder sometimes (sorry if TMI) and it can cause you to vomit as well. When I was sick, I couldn't even make dinner on most days, the slightest activity would bring on a fit. It was the most that I had ever laid on the couch. Never even went out or went to the store. Now, when I get sick, the cough always comes back...it's like a little bout of WC every time I get a cold now. Kinda weird. I had to pull my kids out of school (they were in PS) last fall and I had to keep them home for a week even after I got their negative test back, and they had been vaccinated as well. Both my Mom and my Husband and the kids all had to go on antibiotics for 7 days as well and the school would not let them return until they went on the medicine and complete the cycle even though the test was negative. It was a real pain. I hope your daughter feels better soon. I would push for a test because she needs to right medicine to not be contagious and to fight it. I agree with the others. It takes forever. Like I said, I still experience the cough, especially when I am feeling down or getting a cold. It just starts right back up. It was 5 solid weeks of coughing for me and then weeks and weeks of coughing and trying to muddle through work and feeling very run down. Man. You sound like you had a really bad case! I'm so sorry! My 11 yo was like that - he was on the couch for over 2 weeks and felt very sick. He gained 10 pounds because of his inactivity and the steroids. He is finally up and running around, but he still gets tired easily. Luckily, my dd has never felt sick. She's felt absolutely fine the entire time - until she coughs. My kids all had the antibiotics very early on because the doctors assumed that they had other things going on. I'm so glad we did that because it kept us from spreading it. But, the test wouldn't come back positive now because the antibiotics mess that up. The antibiotics may help the contagious part but I wouldn't count on them helping fight it unless you get them early, early on. Yup. I don't think we got them early enough to help, unfortunately. Hmmm. I wonder if I had this two years ago. I had a gut wrenching cough that lasted for months. It appeared towards the tail-end of the H1N1 flu so I just assumed it was a horrible lingering part of that flu. It did eventually go away, but I remember wondering if it ever would. I tried every cough syrup I could find, swallowed tons of honey, and drank many hot toddies. I hope your Dd feels better soon. Poor thing! And poor you! Worrying is no fun! I bet you did! Since we've had this, I've been doing a lot of reading about WC. It seems like it is VERY underreported and not diagnosed often. Man, to have had it after H1N1 just isn't fair!!!! And - no. Worrying isn't fun!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 It lasted about a month for us about 4 years ago. None had abx or anything for it. We just used sodium ascorbate. My dh had it, too. My unvax'd child got over it sooner. My best friend (lives 4 hours away) just told me her 4 kids have it now, too. They are all completely vax'd (she's very big on vaxing). They've had it about a week and it's not going away yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yikes! I'm so sorry you guys are going through this! Whooping Cough freaks me out. I don't vaccinate my kids for the most part....but I will be vaccinating the new baby for WC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DianeW88 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The acute phase can last for months. The cough can linger for a year. It isn't an easy illness by any means. Any type of respiratory illness can bring the cough back for a year or more. Be careful during the coughing spells. They can be violent enough to break ribs or cause an abdominal hernia. If your child turns blue or passes out during a coughing spell, take him or her into the doctor. Vomiting during the coughing is very common. Antibiotics really won't slow down or shorten the disease. They are primarily given to prevent the child from spreading it to anyone else. Be on the lookout for complications. The most common is pneumonia. Less common are seizures and encephalitis, but they do happen. Most serious complications occur in children younger than six. Older kids primarily get the cracked ribs from coughing. It's not a fun disease at all, and I'm sorry your kids are going through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Yikes! I'm so sorry you guys are going through this! Whooping Cough freaks me out. I don't vaccinate my kids for the most part....but I will be vaccinating the new baby for WC. I hate to tell you this, but all our family has current vaccinations against WC and still got it. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourcatmom Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 The antibiotics may help the contagious part but I wouldn't count on them helping fight it unless you get them early, early on. Your right, it did nothing to "cure" the cough...sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Breastfeeding is the best bet to deter WC from infants, so make sure to bf if you are worried about it. Oh, and it doesn't actually prevent WC, just decreases the toxins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepymommy Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Thank you!! This is very informative. But, what is SA??? ! SA=Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C with the best absorbency) The powder form is best because you are able to take higher doses. Natural Factors makes a chewable form, but it's only 500mg each, so you would need to eat a lot of them. Ds4 has got a nasty cough right now and I'm a bit paranoid about it turning into WC. (small rant- I hate taking healthy kids to the doctor for their physicals, they always leave sick!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Breastfeeding is the best bet to deter WC from infants, so make sure to bf if you are worried about it. Oh, and it doesn't actually prevent WC, just decreases the toxins. Yes, I breastfeed my babies for several years, and exclusively for the first 6 months. Glad to hear it helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 :grouphug::grouphug: I had whooping cough when I was 4. Thankfully, I don't remember it, but I've been told I coughed and coughed and threw up and turned blue. I survived. I don't remember how long I was sick, though. I got it again at 15, but it was just a bad cough that time, and lasted a month perhaps. I also get coughs pretty easily. Praying your family gets better soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 It lasted about a month for us about 4 years ago. None had abx or anything for it. We just used sodium ascorbate. My dh had it, too. My unvax'd child got over it sooner. My best friend (lives 4 hours away) just told me her 4 kids have it now, too. They are all completely vax'd (she's very big on vaxing). They've had it about a week and it's not going away yet. I actually have this!!! Thank you! I'm sorry for your friend. She's in for a LONG road ahead. Yikes! I'm so sorry you guys are going through this! Whooping Cough freaks me out. I don't vaccinate my kids for the most part....but I will be vaccinating the new baby for WC. It did me too! You and I have talked about our hypochondria before - and this is one of my worst fears. After this, I've decided to go with our allergist's recommendations and get the rest of ds10's shots. This has been SOOOO isolating and scary. The acute phase can last for months. The cough can linger for a year. It isn't an easy illness by any means. Any type of respiratory illness can bring the cough back for a year or more. Be careful during the coughing spells. They can be violent enough to break ribs or cause an abdominal hernia. If your child turns blue or passes out during a coughing spell, take him or her into the doctor. Vomiting during the coughing is very common. Antibiotics really won't slow down or shorten the disease. They are primarily given to prevent the child from spreading it to anyone else. Be on the lookout for complications. The most common is pneumonia. Less common are seizures and encephalitis, but they do happen. Most serious complications occur in children younger than six. Older kids primarily get the cracked ribs from coughing. It's not a fun disease at all, and I'm sorry your kids are going through it. Okay. Now, I'm officially freaked out!!! DS definitely turned shades of red/purple/blue during his coughing fits. But he recovered quickly and his pulse/ox levels returned to normal quickly. (Yes, I bought one!) He's been to the doctor (allergist and pediatrician) six times. He was on steroids and all sorts of inhaled medication. Nothing seemed to help. Meg (the 5 yo) doesn't turn blue. Her face gets BRIGHT red in the morning when she first awakens and coughs. SHE is very scared when this happens, which scares me. She feels like she's choking, she says. I did read a helpful piece of advice online - when the kids are coughing - remind them to try to get a breath SLOWLY. If they try to breathe in too fast, they'll get that "whoop" and get scared, which makes their throats close up even more. Anyway, it does help. When she's coughing, I remind her to take a breath slowly instead of gasping. It's working. I hate to tell you this, but all our family has current vaccinations against WC and still got it. . . We're a mixed bag. But I definitely agree. Our kids who were vaccinated did NOT have any easier cases. In fact, my dd has the worst case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted July 30, 2011 Author Share Posted July 30, 2011 Breastfeeding is the best bet to deter WC from infants, so make sure to bf if you are worried about it. Oh, and it doesn't actually prevent WC, just decreases the toxins. This is really good to know. I was hoping that my now-10 yo ds was protected (he's the non-vaccinated one) because I had WC while I was pregnant. And, I breastfed him for, um, well, let's just say, years. Yes. Years. SA=Sodium Ascorbate (Vitamin C with the best absorbency) The powder form is best because you are able to take higher doses. Natural Factors makes a chewable form, but it's only 500mg each, so you would need to eat a lot of them. Ds4 has got a nasty cough right now and I'm a bit paranoid about it turning into WC. (small rant- I hate taking healthy kids to the doctor for their physicals, they always leave sick!!) So, how much should I give my dd5 - 32 pounds? She's been taking vitamin C but not in this form. I actually have some that I can throw into a shake for her easily. I pray your ds doesn't have WC! And, I agree about the physicals! My kids always left sick too. I gotta say - it'll be nice to to worry about WC for a while! But, it has been HELL going through it. :grouphug::grouphug: I had whooping cough when I was 4. Thankfully, I don't remember it, but I've been told I coughed and coughed and threw up and turned blue. I survived. I don't remember how long I was sick, though. I got it again at 15, but it was just a bad cough that time, and lasted a month perhaps. I also get coughs pretty easily. Praying your family gets better soon! Your poor mom. This has been SO hard!!! My 15 yo has it too. He coughs HARD, but like you - it was just a bad cough. He still coughs maybe 2 - 3 times /day and sounds HORRIBLE, but it's not scary. These little ones are the scary ones!!!! I'm just happy I don't have a baby right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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