I suspect DS1 has whooping cough

I think DS1 (4 in March) might have whooping cough, despite being fully vaccinated against it.

A child in his daycare room was confirmed to have it just over two weeks ago. About the same time, we noticed DS1 starting to cough a little - it wasn't serious, but I thought I'd better get him checked out by a dr (not his regular dr as he wasn't avilable). Subsequently, the dr said his ear was slightly red but as there'd been no temp, no snot and his lungs were clear, there was no reason to suspect wc. It was "just a virus".

DH and I thought he was improving, until about Wednesday night when he started having quite violent coughing fits which ended in him gagging (and once he spewed). He seemed ok during the day, but Thursday night he started the violent coughing again. It was waking him up and freaking him out.

So on Friday, I took him back to the dr (his usual dr). He was thoroughly checked over and the dr admitted he could hear a bit of a wheeze on his lungs. He decided to do a swab for wc (we're still awaiting results). DS2 (almost 2) was also tested (he'd started to cough a bit too).

Over the weekend DS1's coughing fits are happening more regularly and are really violent, if that makes sense. A couple of times I've even heard that "whoop" noise as he tries to suck in some air. He also sounds like he's got muck on his chest. My poor little man gets quite upset when he starts coughing badly, and he's woken up twice already tonight because of the coughing fits. It is definitely not "normal coughing" in my book.

I shouldn't jump to conclusions, I should wait till the swab results come back. Back I just have a gut feeling that he's got whooping cough. I'll happily curse my gut if I'm wrong, but if it is then I'll be plain mad. I thought the whole point of vaccinating them is to stop them getting wc!!!

DS2 is now very snotty and starting to cough/gag a bit too. He's also got a spotty rash on his legs and an arm - it's not worrying him, but presumably a virus of something is behind it.

Both boys are having a bad night's sleep ... goodness knows how the rest of the night is going to go.

At least if one or both are diagnosed with wc, they'll get started on antibiotics. Just means yet more time off work for mum/dad after a shocking year of snot in our household.

poor things :(
it does sound very much like it unfortunatly :( though i have never heard of it from a child but i had WC when i was pg with DD and it was the most awful experience ive ever been through. I couldnt take anything for it (except something to make me not contagious)
i REALLy hope its not :hug: but if it is, like you said they can get right on the ABs and hopefully kick it in the bum xx
:hug: to your little ones x

hope its all clear and just some snotty virus that passes quickly!!!!

That sounds very scary :hug: I hope your gut is wrong


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Oh how awful for you all! Either way, I hope they're both well soon - coughs are really terrible things, never mind WC.

Poor little guys :hug: hope it's not WC and they're feeling better soon :crossfingers:

The vaccines aren't 100% effective, also there is more than one strain of WC so it's possible that even when vaxed you could still get the other strain not covered in the vax.

Here's hoping it's neither for your little ones! :crossfingers: :goodluck: :crossfingers:

I hope you guys get on top of it, whatever it is, really soon. Big hugs.

Thanks all for your replies.

Both boys had a bad night's sleep (and no suprises, so did mum and dad LOL). DS1 is still coughing and turning red. You can even see him struggling to take that first gulp of air after a coughing fit. If it isn't wc, he certainly has a chest infection albeit the dr didn't think so last Friday. DS2 still has a rash which I think might be viral (only because nothing has changed with his diet. bathing etc). Both boys are out out of sorts, and DS2 particularly whingey. To be honest, DS2 is driving me spare. He hasn't stopped whingeing about anything and everything from the moment he woke up. I'm couting to ten lots and trying to deep breathe.

Thank God my boss is understanding - I've had so many days off work with sick kids this year it's not funny. When my boys are sick like this is when I wish we did have some family close by (my parents and ILs interstate) - not so we could dump the kids on them, but they would gladly help us out when the kids are sick. Thankfully DH is coming home later this morning to help me out at the dr's and to help me out in general. One sick child is reasonably easily managed ... but two can be a handful. Thank God for ABC2!

Sorry for the whinge. Hopefully we get the test results back this morning

Hope all went well at the doctor.

Sounds a lot like whooping cough to me as well. Unfortunately, at best the vaccination is about 90% effective, with some studies suggesting it can be only 60% effective - so that means at best 1 in 10 children will still be susceptible to the disease. It always pays to be vigilant.

The good news is that at their age, the disease is not life threatening, although it can be quite disruptive, not the least due to lack of sleep! Unfortunately, medications do not usually help with the symptoms - antibiotics may shorten the length of time they are contagious, but the symptoms are caused by a toxin released by the pertussis germ early in the disease - so even eradicating the germ itself does not necessarily stop the cough.

Good luck with it.

I'm sorry your boys are so sick hun :hug: my 2.5 yr old has it atm. It's running rampant through his childcare. 11 kids in his room alone in the past month or so! He hasn't been that unwell thank goodness and CC have said that some of the kids testing positive have been completely asymptomatic but have been checked/discovered due to siblings etc. Your boys sound quite unwell and i'm sending lots of strength and get well soon vibes your way. The 5 days quarantine at home won't be easy. :hug:

Sent from my phone.

Thanks again for the replies - I really appreciate the advice and support.

Well, the results came back last night and both boys have tested negative to whooping cough. On the one hand, it's obviously terrific news ... on the other hand DS1 still has all the signs of it and his dr said (a) it can be hard to diagnose, often requiring more than one test and (b) a positive result often doesn't happen till the worst of it is over.

Both kids are being treated for wc regardless, and Dr said even if it isn't wc, the meds will help them recover.

Poor DS1 though, every time he has a coughing fit he panics as he can't breathe. He runs to me or DH every time, I guess he thinks we'll "fix" him. Fortunately he's fine immediately afterwards, no tears etc. But you can clearly see the panic on his face.

Hopefully by this time tomorrow the drugs will have kicked in and they'll be better. That's presuming it's definitey not whooping cough. As MadB said ... coughs CAN be really terrible things.

woops, double post!

Well I guess that's good news, unless the tests were inconclusive at the moment. Regardless I hope they're better soon poor little guys :hug: specially DS1:(

How are your little ones going?

Much better thanks Willow - the antibiotics did the trick.
So relieved and still a little amazed that it wasn't whooping cough given DS1 (in particular) showed all the symptoms.

That is excellent! :D I read somewhere once that years back a diagnosis of Whooping Cough was often made when really it wasn't that at all. Probably because of other nasty bugs like your little guys had that appear so similar.
Anyway even though it wasn't w/c it still obviously was horrible for them. Glad they're feeling better!! :happydance: