Tiramisu Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Dd6 is on her fourth day of a cough. She may have had a mild fever and is a bit tired. Otherwise, she's just had a runny nose. She hasn't been sleeping well at night, whimpering in her sleep and coughing. She coughs during the day and at night. Last nigh she nearly threw up between the coughing episodes. The thing is, I have four children and they generally don't get coughs, and if they do it's at the end of an illness or a tiny one from post nasal drip. I've never seen anything like this and it seems to be getting worse, not better. I know whooping cough is popping up here and there. Could this be the start of it? I decided to make a ped appointment for this afternoon to be on the safe side. We go to a coop with immune compromised kids and I'm afraid to take any chances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 When we had it here, the coughing so hard you throw up didnt start for a couple weeks. It started as a very mild cold, with the cough getting progressively worse. But, if you suspect it, I would go in to the doctor and get a test and antibiotics. It can reduce the severity of wc, if that is what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 It sounds like it could just be bronchitis, but it's worth checking. Thank you for thinking of those other kids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Whooping cough usually has a whooop sound, doesn't it? My DH has had a cough so bad over the past few weeks that we thought he'd broken a rib from the coughing. But we think it's just a badly pulled muscle instead. He went to the doc and has bronchitis. I think it's good you're taking her to the doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Get her tested, at least. My dd had a lingering cough that started day and night, but then lingered mostly at night. It was very barky, but not a definite whoop. She was never very sick during the day. She threw up just once from coughing. Since she never seemed very sick - acted totally normal when not coughing, no fever, and she didn't seem to have much congestion, I didn't do much about it at first (although I did go after it lingered, and Dr. put her on antibiotics for suspected sinus infection w/ post-nasal drip causing the cough. She was never tested for pertussis). Her friend seems to have caught whatever she had from her, and then when hers lingered, she also went to Dr., was tested for Pertussis, and it was positive. :001_huh: So now I strongly suspect that might have been what she had. The nighttime coughing did go on for just about 3 months, then went away. I really never suspected Pertussis. I thought it would be much more serious; that she'd have to be, well, sicker. So... worth a test. Antibiotics will at least clear up any chance of passing it on (I think once the cough has set in, it has to run its course, even with antibiotics). My other kids never caught whatever it was. They're not even vaccinated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haupia Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Whooping cough has a distinct sound. You can actually listen to it on Youtube. My sound isn't working or I would pull it up. Always good to get it checked out just in case :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quad Shot Academy Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 The "back to school sickness" that is going around here this year is a really bad cough. One friend got a collapsed lung! The cough is lasting about 6 weeks. All of my friends that have gone to the doc are vaccinated and the doc would not test them for WC, "because it can't be WC if the are vaccinated." :confused: My oldest got sick on Monday. If I end up having to take him in, I know my doc will test him. He already had WC 8 years ago, so I doubt it. Anyway, I remember WC starting off with a very mild cold for a week, then getting a worse and worse cough. At week 3 is when the whoop started. This time my son was fine and in 2 hours was coughing so bad he couldn't breathe. WC always got worse at night too and he is doing fine at night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serenade Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I was told that older kids don't "whoop" like babies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cornelia9805 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 I just took my DD yesterday to the doctor for a cough. She is being treated like it is whooping cough even though they did not test for it. :001_huh: the doctor said there generally is no whoop with older kids. My DD has very intense coughing episodes. So much so that she has burst blood vessels in her eye. Her face turns red and she ends up with tears running down her face. When it is over she is fine. She has no other indications of a cold or being sick and the cough pretty much started with that intensity. She has had the cough for less than a week. Her doctor indicated that it does not look exactly like that in everyone so getting her seen would probably be a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 There is not always a whoop. And if you haven't caught it during the "cold" week the damage is already done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lab1 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Its totally possible to get WC even if vacc'd for it. I would take my kid in for a bad cough. My boys have needed steriod shots several times for croup. I was worried it was WC the first time. The steroid shot works quickly and they are able to sleep. My 3 yr old was hospitalized for 5 days last yr from a cold that swelled his throat closed. I'm quite proactive with him to get a steroid shot after that experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HiddenJewel Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Check with your doc before you sit in the waiting room. They may want you to sit in the car and then go straight in if they suspect WC. My dd had it 4+ years ago. She still whoops when she gets a cold. This is the first year that the whoop hasn't gone on for months--I'm hopeful! There are things that can help rebuild the lungs. Took about 2 months here but now colds are no longer an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 We are back from the ped. Dd's lungs are clear, but she wants us to watch her in case bronchitis is developing. We're supposed to get in touch if it gets worse or if she starts again with a fever. She's not worried about it being WC...in other words, no antibiotics. She thinks dd has a lot of mucous which could be aggravating the cough at night, so we can use Benedryl to dry her out a bit, only at night, though. The only problem is, we have never given dd Benedryl so we don't know if it will make her sleepy or hyper. I wanted to try it in the afternoon as a test, but after getting home I found out we have two expired--by a long time!--bottles of chilren's Benedryl, and that's it. So I'm not going to try it tonight. I'm hoping for the best. Dd started complaining about her throat, so I gave her ibuprofen, and will try some cough suppressant tonight. It did help this morning. Thanks for your help. If a whoop starts, I'll be back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Im on the way with my dd9 who has been sick about 3 weeks. She has had a very mild sinus and cough and last night I caught her coughing and gasping for air in between. I actually got a little recorded to show my pediatrician but it only lasted a few minutes and she stopped coughing. I have my fingers crossed it isnt the beginning. She did that cant catch your breath inhale...each time. I cant figure out how else to explain it...where you keep trying to catch your breath breathing in loudly. I could hear the crackling sounds in her chest. No fun. She has been on musinex those granules but Im going in today to pick up her prescription again of xopernex and pulimicort. (spelling them wrong) I hope I get the same answers you did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Whooping cough has a distinct sound. You can actually listen to it on Youtube. My sound isn't working or I would pull it up. Always good to get it checked out just in case :) No, not everyone does this. Get some antibiotics now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 No, not everyone does this. Get some antibiotics now. :iagree: Whooping cough does not always make older kids very obviously sick, and there's no way the Dr. could have ruled it out just by looking at her in the office. It takes two seconds for a swab. I never realized my dd probably had it, and her friend that got it would also not have ever been diagnosed if the Dr. hadn't swabbed and tested her. Especially if you're around immune compromised people, as your OP suggested. And you can totally get it even if vaxed. Why take chances? The swab will tell you yes or no, no guesswork needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 Agreeing with the others. WC does not always have a whoop. My kids' lungs were always clear with it. The antibiotics will not only keep her from having a really bad case (although at this point, it may be too late) but it will keep her from passing it along. If you suspect it AT ALL, please call back and get them so you don't accidentally spread it. Or, please stay home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisB Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 I believe someone here posted this page before. It has a few sound files of WC that could be helpful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 :iagree: Whooping cough does not always make older kids very obviously sick, and there's no way the Dr. could have ruled it out just by looking at her in the office. It takes two seconds for a swab. I never realized my dd probably had it, and her friend that got it would also not have ever been diagnosed if the Dr. hadn't swabbed and tested her. Especially if you're around immune compromised people, as your OP suggested. And you can totally get it even if vaxed. Why take chances? The swab will tell you yes or no, no guesswork needed. No swabs are done at our peds office. We would have to go to the hospital lab because they said it's not a swab exactly but they aspirate secretions from the nose. I wonder if the type of testing that peds do varies regionally because our local peds don't seem to test for more that strep in the office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mchel210 Posted September 15, 2012 Share Posted September 15, 2012 I wonder how many dr.s are doing the swabs...or if they even care to do them? Mine didnt. She told me my DD was ill enough to be on antibiotics and prescribed her a 10 day treatment. She is not an antibiotic happy Dr. and this is probably the 4th time in her life she has been on them. I have to go back in 2 weeks for a follow up plus continue our breathing treatments. I imagine many Dr.'s are just doing the same. NJKelli.......My son had Bronchitis at a young age and now gets it everytime he gets sick. It's no fun. He usually stops it with an inhaler early. We've never used benedryl for it, though. My kids get super hyper and insomnia instead of sleepy. I hope it works for you. We are using Tylenol or advil for throat and swallowing water while holding our nose to help stretch and drain the ear...per the dr. Hoping that works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted September 15, 2012 Author Share Posted September 15, 2012 I wonder how many dr.s are doing the swabs...or if they even care to do them? Mine didnt. She told me my DD was ill enough to be on antibiotics and prescribed her a 10 day treatment. She is not an antibiotic happy Dr. and this is probably the 4th time in her life she has been on them. I have to go back in 2 weeks for a follow up plus continue our breathing treatments. I imagine many Dr.'s are just doing the same. NJKelli.......My son had Bronchitis at a young age and now gets it everytime he gets sick. It's no fun. He usually stops it with an inhaler early. We've never used benedryl for it, though. My kids get super hyper and insomnia instead of sleepy. I hope it works for you. We are using Tylenol or advil for throat and swallowing water while holding our nose to help stretch and drain the ear...per the dr. Hoping that works. Thankfully, dd is doing a bit better, but is still not herself with crying episodes and sleeping poorly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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