*Hold me* I think it's whooping cough

[a good book under a tree]

Scout's got a bad cough. It's keeping her (and me) up all night. On Friday the doc said it was a sinus infection and gave her amoxicillin, but it's only getting worse. She's not vaccinated at all, which leaves me feeling guilty. But mostly, I just want to make her comfortable and help us all sleep. Any one else been through this? She's 20 months old.

[The Tickle Momster]

Beary Blessed just got through it. Maybe send her a pm.

We've btdt as well - only mine weren't as young. The boys came down with it at about 3 years ago, but we got the girls on antibiotics in time to keep them from having symptoms. You're welcome to message me as well.

[righteous mama]

My middle chick was about 18 months when she had it. It was tough, but we were fortunate to have Dr. Jim Sears as our ped, so he helped us through it. Don't feel guilty. There is no way to know if she may have gotten it even if she were fully vax'd. My dad tells how he almost died from WP. Funny thing. He was vax'd for it. Makes me wonder if he nearly died from the vax.

You could do some homeopathic cough syrup. Also purple grape juice is good for upper respiratory issues. Elderberry syrup, etc. Just boost her immunity and yours...because she's most likely coughing right in your face. If you are still nursing...keep it up.

[GraemesMomma]

Not had it, yet, but lemon and Eucalyptus EOs are my go-tos for chest stuff. Diffuse in the room, put slices by the bed, etc.

Yea, don't feel guilty. Plenty of vaxed kiddos get it, anyhow

for you and baby, mama I know I'll be a mess when/if we ever have it.

[BearyBlessed]

Yeah, we are still recovering from it. My boys are not vaxed, either. But, the kiddo we got it from was.
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[a good book under a tree]

Thank you for the support and advice, everyone. I just got back from the ped again. I'm just frustrated and tired. He's not sure if it's pertussis or not and didn't have anything helpful to tell me. I guess if she stays sick it's pertussis, and if she gets better it's not. I am still breastfeeding, thank goodness, or I don't think she would be eating much at all. I'll try the above suggestions as soon as I can.

There is a test for pertussis that he could run - it's no fun, though (ask me how I know ) and it has a high rate of false negatives. The clinical criteria for diagnosis of pertussis is:

Any cough lasting 14 days or more with at least one of the following associated symptoms: paroxysms (fits of coughing), whoop, or post-tussive (post-coughing fit) vomiting.

I have local friends who had excellent success working with a homeopathic doctor.

[a good book under a tree]

She got sick the first week of April with what seemed like a bad cold. It got better with just a lingering cough until last week when the cough got significantly worse. Long coughing fits that leave her gasping for air and crying. The gasping sounds a lot like the recording of a whooping cough that I found online. She has not vomited with the cough as of yet, although she's been close. She also rarely has much in her stomach. It's much worse at night. During the day she's tired but not particularly sick other than when she coughs.

Does that sound like a mild case of pertussis? I guess at this point I hope it is so that we get something positive (pertussis antibodies) out of all this.

Sounds like pertussis to me. None of mine ever had the whoop - just the paroxysms of coughing. Hawk occasionally would vomit afterwards, but that was pretty rare.

If you've already been at it for a month, you've probably seen the worst of it. IIRC it generally lasts about 6 weeks.

[mamacat]

What helped my dd was to have the cool mist vapo running at night and when she started with a cough to breathe some of the cool mist right up close or if she was awake to open the freezer and breathe the cool air.If she wakes up with a spasm can hold her right up close to the cool mist vapo or do the freezer thing.Even tho mine was older at the time at night I would grab her and hold her close to the vapo so she could breathe in the cool vapors because she would be 1/2 asleep I would also have the vapo on a bedside table as close to her little head as possible and try to sleep propped up on pillows with her kind of propped up on you if you cosleep wuld def cosleep during this time so you canhelp her in those ways

[Rabbit]

It can also be bronchitis. I would get a second opinion. She may need respiratory support she isn't getting.

[BearyBlessed]

It sounds a lot like what my boys had. Aji had the whoop sound for a short while on some of his coughing fits, but not for a long time. It was more of a gasping sound mostly.

[a good book under a tree]

Autumn's coughs are only getting worse. She did throw up with them last night. She was having a coughing fit once or twice every hour all night long.
She hasn't eaten anything solid for a couple of days, but will breastfeed. She won't drink anything from a cup, but we're going to buy some things tonight to try to tempt her.
Sometimes during the day she seems perfectly fine, and other times pretty tired and sick. The coughs aren't as severe during the day. DH and I thought maybe we'd video tape a night cough in case it would come in handy at some theoretical future doctors appointment.
I feel like I'm coming off a couple all nighters, because I am, so thanks for reading. We would be glad of any prayers you are willing to offer.

Originally Posted by mamacat

What helped my dd was to have the cool mist vapo running at night and when she started with a cough to breathe some of the cool mist right up close or if she was awake to open the freezer and breathe the cool air.If she wakes up with a spasm can hold her right up close to the cool mist vapo or do the freezer thing.Even tho mine was older at the time at night I would grab her and hold her close to the vapo so she could breathe in the cool vapors because she would be 1/2 asleep I would also have the vapo on a bedside table as close to her little head as possible and try to sleep propped up on pillows with her kind of propped up on you if you cosleep wuld def cosleep during this time so you canhelp her in those ways

Thanks for the tips. We do cosleep & I will move the vapo right up to the bed.

---------- Post added at 07:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:15 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Rabbit

It can also be bronchitis. I would get a second opinion. She may need respiratory support she isn't getting.

If this is the case, what can they do to help her? Part of my frustration with the pedi is that he didn't care to make a diagnosis because he didn't seem to think it mattered b/c he couldn't do anything else for her either way.

[Rabbit]

Steroids to help her lungs heal, bronchodilators to open her airway so that she can breathe more easily, and that can even reduce coughing, because coughing is an attempt to open her airway.