Whooping cough and the other child

[onthefly]

We think DD has WC. Doc didn't think there was much point actually testing but she has symptoms so now on ABs. DS is coughing a bit too - didn't think to ask about him as he tends to get coughs (it's not bad and no whoop), but should I assume he has it too?

[Aussiegirl777]

Normally when they suspect that one person in the family has it they put the entire family on a course of AB's.

They normally swab everyone as well to make sure that you each don't have it. Personally (from a Mum who's baby has had WC) it seems like a very relaxed approach from your doctor to not swab your DD or the rest of you and to start you all on a course of AB's.

[onthefly]

hm. ok. might call the clinic then.

she said there was no point testing since it would take so long to get the results back, it's not 100% accurate anyway, and it was very unpleasant

[Aussiegirl777]

Can't hurt to ring back and ask. One reason they might not have swabbed your DD is by the time the cough presents you don't always get a 'positive' result even though you are positive.

I'm interested to hear what they say, if you don't mind reporting back. It's a personal interest of mine now as to how other doctors treat for WC.

Oops MadB I didn't read the last line of your post and I've just posted, virtually the same thing.

[onthefly]

just called. waiting to hear what they say. I mean, if we've got it, we've got it, but I don't really want to pass it on to anyone else (or more than we already have)
And they keep talking about vaccinations. yes, we're vaccinated. but it's not 100% is it?!

[willow5]

I think I'd like to know for sure. I agree sounds a bit relaxed for something that can be so serious. There are others to consider in the house too, would be good to know exactly what you're dealing with. It may even not be w/c.

[Aussiegirl777]

Yup if you've got it, then you've got it and you're right the vax is only 80% effective at best, but the point is you want to know if you actually have it.

When DS was diagnosed our GP was awesome but everyone else who had been in contact with DS and went to their Dr's to be tested was pretty much just fobbed off. Even the person who I'm sure was the one who infected our son, (a dear and much loved family member with a horrible cough that just wouldn't go away) was fobbed off at her GP and told it was just a nasty cough. It makes me so mad. It only takes a second to do the swab, why are the drs so hesitant to do them?

Whoops I'm on my high-horse and hijacking your thread.

[willow5]

just called. waiting to hear what they say. I mean, if we've got it, we've got it, but I don't really want to pass it on to anyone else (or more than we already have)
And they keep talking about vaccinations. yes, we're vaccinated. but it's not 100% is it?!

Exactly, you don't want to pass it on and they should be telling you how to be safe etc.
You're right the vax isn't 100%, but it could also be the strain not covered by the vac. So it would be good to know which it is and how to protect the rest of the household, and friends, family and anyone else. Hope they get back to you soon, you can always get a second opinion from another doc too.

[Novella]

My sister, brother and I all had it as children (we were all vaccinated too!) and we were all swabed when they suspected my brother had it, started on antibiotics and told to stay at home for 5 days is quarrantine. I actually had it first but it was only mild, my sister was 18 months and ended up in hospital. Poor Mum had just had a hysterectomy two weeks before and was a single mum

Hope your little ones are on the mend

[onthefly]

hm. well word back from doc was no - come back if symptoms start. healthdirect also said not necessarily.
is it right that you're only infectious if symptomatic (ie, starting like a cold etc)? I'm making an apt for DS monday, to preempt things. we're in quarantine at the moment anyway....

I actually kind of understand not bothering to test if it's not likely to be accurate At the same time it would be nice to know what was actually going on.
Though still infrequent, the cough is getting worse.

[Aussiegirl777]

Good to quarantine just to make sure. WC is bacterial the first symptoms are like you are getting a cold but it's not a cold it's the pertussis bacteria secreting it's mucus and attaching itself to your lungs. The cough usually starts from there. In little ones you don't always hear the classic whooping sound either. That's the beauty of the AB's. They don't stop the WC illness because by the time the cough is present it's too late but they kill the bacteria and make it safe to interact with others again.

Hope all goes well. Unfortunately your DD is still young enough that this could really knock her around abit if it's a severe enough case. Any idea who she would have contracted it from. Might be an idea to let them know so they don't infect others either.

Hope everyone is well again soon.

[onthefly]

It is rife round these parts at the moment. And incubation is up to 3 weeks, so really hard to know exactly.
I've let people we've seen recently know to keep an eye out.

[Tegam]

Oh mad sorry to hear. Generally at the moment the strain of WC that is going around isn't covered in the vaxx. And yes you can still get the normal strains if you have been vaxx'd.

Great to stay away from others. I myself would have asked for testing anyway just to see what the results said.

Hope everyone gets better quickly and you don't go too insane being house bound

[onthefly]

well. that's helpful then. not.

Thanks Tegam.

We will go back to the docs monday and I'll speak again to our usual doctor. I suspect she'll have the same attitude though. wish our old GP was still practising. He ran off to private business...

[willow5]

Good luck on Monday Hope everyone is feeling better soon.

[onthefly]

ok, DS is now on ABs to after startign to cough over the weekend. the doc said there's a sign of infectio nin his throat, though, so it might be something else. I've had the swab done as I have a cold/cough starting too. we'll see...
DD is doing ok, though.

[Aussiegirl777]

Happy to hear that swabs and AB's are starting to come into play. I was talking to my DP about you guys and he reminded me of something that our GP said when DP was getting swabbed when our DS was diagnosed with WC. Our GP said that no medical professional would take WC lightly. And since he said that I know of so many people who have had to tell their doctors what they want in relation to being tested or treated for WC. Since DS I have spoken to many mothers' of children with WC and they all have similar stories. It doesn't seem right that swabs and antibiotics have to be done on a second or third visit. Vaccinated or not the antibiotics stop the spread of the horrible disease and if they are given to someone as a precaution it kills the bacteria and in that way stops it from spreading to other people.

I'm so glad to also hear the your DD is coping O.K.

Take care of yourself and your LO's. I hope nothing progresses for the rest of you guys.

[zap]

Madb good on you for doing the right thing and staying in quarantine. My ds still has wc after more than two months and my newborn tested positive at 7 weeks but never progressed into the full blown disease. We where all put on AB by the royal Childrens hospital in Melbourne when my babies test came back positive. The GP you went to initially is helping to spread this deadly disease by not taking the recommended precautions and should be pulled into line. I really hope your family doesn't have it as it's a horrible disease my 3 year old still coughs to the point of vomiting most nights. Just make sure your not in contact with any newborns until five days after AB. Xx