Whooping cough? Frustrated and need kind listening ears!

[miniandfloss]

Hi,

I want to make it clear from the start that I'm hassling the medical profession on a daily basis to try and get some answers but just in need of some moral support as I'm a new mum!

I have a beautiful 12 wo ds who is absolutely amazing. 4 weeks ago we got the dreaded first cold was not too bad only a mild temp for a day a bit snuffly, mild cough, did all the recommended stuff like steam, saline nasal spray, snot sucker thing, raising basket head etc... Took to gp who said cold/viral infection chest clear.

As the weeks have progressed The very mild sniffle remains but the cough is what worries me. 2.5 weeks ago we were laying down having a baby chat and gurgle together and ds had 2 shortish coughing fits in quick succession. Was like he couldn't stop went red in the face and vomited a whole lot of whiteish sticky stuff after. Phoned dr's immediately who saw us straight away. Verdict chest clear no infection, no temp, viral infection and normal for a cough to not get better for weeks.

Meanwhile ds is perfectly happy apart from this bloody cough for the next week. When coughing seems to have mega probs clearing phlegm and rattling a lot. Went to dr's again chest clear ds bright and happy. Indicated maybe I was being a little neurotic new mother (in not so many words!).

This weekend, 5am sat morning a huge coughing fit that lasted for over a minute and a big vomit of sticky white stuff. After this ds fell into a deep sleep and was difficult to wake. Phoned ooh dr's who saw straight away. By time we got there ds happy smiling. Cooing and again his chest was clear, no temp. Verdict- your child has a viral cold.

After a few mild coughing fits during the days over the weekend and another big one just now we are off to the dr's yet again today. I'm trying to get a video/recording of cough but it's so hard when ds looks so distressed and I just want to hold and comfort him and it doesn't happen that often. Just now I was woken up by the fit and scrambled around to get my Phone but it had finished by the time the video camera had loaded.

I'm going to the gp today armed with info from whoopingcough.net but not expecting much luck! It is extremely scary to watch this coughing/ choking fit and amazing to see how between bouts I have a happy normal ds.

I had the jab when I was pregnant but I have heard babies can still catch it but less severe. Luckily we've had no going blue and if we did I'd be straight off to a&e.

Thanks for listening I know there is not much else I can do apart from hassling dr's and watching my ds like a hawk. It's exhausting and I hate being made to feel that I'm fussing over a cold and not believed over the severity of the cough.

Ps I'm not saying it's definitely whooping cough but it's scarily like symptoms and videos online but no one medical seems to believe me as ds is always ok when we see them.

I feel really bad for hovering over ds with video waiting for an attack.

I was going to say record it think the doc will need to hear the cough to tell

Hope it goes well today. It is a difficult one often they are well between bouts. Can be diagnosed by blood test or nasal swab not generally done at GP. You can only treat in the first three weeks. Best is record.

Wow a great gp who listened and came to the conclusion it is whooping cough so not going mad. Has taken 4 dr's and nearly 3 weeks of scary coughing fits. We're just in the threshold for antibiotics to make him non infectious but will have to ride out the coughing fits until they clear.

Glad there's finally a good GP shocking that the others missed it giving all the publicity of the increase in cases which they are well aware of! Hope DS is better soon OP

Have you been given clarithromycin or erythromycin?

You do know that it is too late now for the antibiotics to help your DS and that he has only been prescribed antibiotics to make him less infectious to his environment? Given that you are his main carer and have been vaccinated you are unlikely to be at risk.

Personally, I would not give him the antibiotics as they won't make his symptoms less and make him feel sick. It is the environment which benefits not your child. But as he is still so young it is a bit of a trade off between his interests and those of the wider community. If he doesn't go to nursery etc. I would argue that it is not in his interest and no real need to protect other children as he is unlikely to be in contact with that many.