DS1 (12) has a peak flow of 270

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

It's normally around 300. He's coughing well and feels generally a bit poorly. I'm currently being investigated for whooping cough, and I'd say he has the same bug. Is 270 ok? Some improvement after his ventolin, but not for very long.

It seems very low, but could have to do with which peak flow metre you are using. I would phone NHS DIRECT as they will have tables for the various peak flow metres and also mention that you may have whooping cough.

If he is in the first stage (or suspected first stage), he could be given clarithromycin to kill as much of the pertussis as possible to contain the disease. If he has progressed to the second stage then there is not much you can do.

If given antibiotics ask for clarithromycin rather than the older, cheaper erythromycin as the former is much better tolerated and only needs to be taken twice a day.

This is a useful website on whooping cough

I was given erthromycin yesterday. I was up all night making friends with the plumbing so had to go back and get a different ab this morning. Nasty stuff. Ok, I think I'll keep an eye on him tonight and see how he is in the morning. Thanks :)

You have probably been given erythromycin to reduce your infectiousness to others, you were probably told not to go out and about for seven days or the duration of the course of erythromycin I expect.

However, if your son is given clarithromycin now, there may be a good chance that it kills off the pertussis bacterium at an early stage before it has replicated so much that it is simply too late to contain. Depending on how severe his asthma is, respiratory problems, etc. it may be worth pushing for clarithromycin for him asap, the longer you wait the less likely he will benefit from it. Also, clarithromycin can be used prophylactically in these circumstances.

I have had confirmed whooping cough. It is nasty. I ended up with pneumonia as secondary infection. It is not for nothing also know as the 100 day cough, it goes on and on and is exhausting.

I wasn't told to stay in. Just had the blood test today and was told results could take a while. Huh. Might ring docs again in the morning and see if I can talk to someone.

Well, different doctors have different approaches.

When I had suspected whooping cough I was told to stay at home (I work as a primary school teacher) until I had completed the course of clarithromycin. In the meantime a sample was sent off, which indeed confirmed that it was whooping cough and the Health Protection Agency was duly notified (whooping cough is a notifiable disease) and they also contacted me to ... check that I understood that I HAD TO STAY IN until I had completed the antibiotics.

In spite of all this the GP refused to prescribe clarithromycin profylactically to my dd. Dd caught whooping cough and then also very serious pneumonia (hospitalised) as a secondary infection.

Whooping cough is horrible.

Have a look at my link to the website of Dr Jenkinson.

I would definitely take him to the GP in the morning. DS1 had whooping cough in September, (He was told to stay in too) and DS2, who has quite severe asthma, started coughing and feeling a bit poorly, so I took him to the GP and they gave him anti biotics just incase. I really think that it stopped him getting whooping cough, which I am really grateful for because his chest is so bad.