Does ANYTHING else sound like whooping cough?

[RandomlyChosenName]

I think my 12 year old son has whooping cough. He is doing the cough cough cough cough high pitched breathing in “heeeeeeeeee” sound, but mainly only at night (day is just a coughing/ chocking coughing).

I had whooping cough when I was a child. It sounds the same from what I can remember.

I took him to the dr who dismissed us “might be asthma”. However dr didn’t hear the cough and whooping noise. I will try and record it and take him back with a recording so she can hear the horrible noise.

Does ANY other wet cough make you cough uncontrollably until you have to breath in with a massive heeeeeeee noise of struggling to breath. Is there any alternative diagnosis? He’s not wheezing.

When I had this awful chest infection that was going around, at night I would wake up coughing, I threw up and found myself making that noise. GP gave me antibiotics after nine days of it.

Croup can sound terrifying...it's not dangerous but a viral infection which leads to a horrible barking/sealion type cough...

Steam inhalation can help...good luck x

Croup

Could you record your son when he has an attack and go back to the dr? They shouldn’t just be dismissing you without help.

Whooping cough does sound like a big whoop. Get him checked out.

Also they don't advise steam anymore. Cold air - get his window wide open if he can tolerate it.

I had whooping cough and was much worse at night. I'd go back as you can only get treatment in the first X number of days after being infected. After that it doesn't work, and it's a bloody tough illness to recover from.

Definitely try to record it. Also keep him away from anyone medically vulnerable in the meantime (sure you have thought of this, but just in case!).

. I had whooping cough at the grand age of 45- 46. The whooping sounds nothing like croup or asthma and attacks can leave you exhausted and nauseated.

Good idea to record it for the GP, however as I understand it, once you have the cough- there is no active treatment. Mine took about 6 weeks to nearly go, trailed on for a bit longer. It was very unpleasant. One trick I was recommended by a Chest Physician to control the cough is to swallow as you cough.

Was also told once you have the cough, you're no longer infectious - not so sure about this.

I’ve listened to croup recordings and it sounds nothing like it. Also he’s 12, so isn’t he too old for croup?

Trying to keep him away from anyone medically vulnerable. Luckily I don’t know anyone pregnant or with young babies. But I don’t know who might be vulnerable so it’s very hard- main reason I want to know and get a diagnosis- the treatment helps stop it spreading.

Dr admitted she hadn’t got any experience with whooping cough... She basically assumed it wasn’t as he hadn’t had a cold before it. And probably because he seemed well when she saw him and he wasn’t coughing.

He literally sounds like he is fighting to inhale after he’s been coughing or he’ll die It sounds like he’s desperate to get air. The noise is so loud we can hear it loudly in another room. It’s horrible.

I currently have confirmed whooping cough. I can't talk after coughing as my throat physiology changes for a short time - it's distressing and vomity with the belting cough
Literally coughing up bubbly liquid too - really not nice 😔

Jesus. I’d be recording that and getting another opinion tomorrow.

Re your doctor - ffs basics of whooping cough, stage one cold/cough, stage two vomity coughing ...

Yep that sounds like whooping cough. Has he been sick from coughing? You feel like you can't breathe during an attack, can make you feel quite lightheaded so it might be wise to make sure he sits down during a coughing fit.

My dd2 (11) had something called a laryngospasm (Google it for the sound) At first the go though whooping cough, but after listening to a recording, this was diagnosed.

Hers went on for a few months, happening several times a night, it was terrifying. The only way I could help her was to encourage short panting breaths out and little sips of water.

She was checked out by ENT, but eventually they decided it was caused by reflux triggering a spasm when she was asleep. This caused this horrendous whooping gasping for air, which would subside and result in a horrible cough (and lots of panic for her). She takes omeprazole to control the reflux and this has completely stopped it.

Have a look into it, as it is pretty unusual but does sound like whooping cough when it happens.

Croop perhaps. My ds (3) has had this 3 times. Gasping for breath, barking like a dog with a stick stuck in his throat. It’s awful and just happens at night. In the morning, nothing at all.
We got prescribed steroids.

I’ve got a recording of him now! It’s a really bad attack too, which is good (obviously not for poor son, and I was recorDing whilst feeling like I might need to resuscitate him any moment...). It was a really loud bad whoop.

So now what? It’s Saturday raaahhhh. Do I call 111 and try and get OOH appointment or wait until Monday?

I’d call 111 as you say he sounds like he’s struggling to breathe.... imagine in the night if it gets worse?
You’ll probably be directed to a walk in centre...

Yes get seen today. He’s obviously had it a while so don’t delay anymore.