Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

[craftymissbeth]

A very bad cough has been going through here for the past week and a half. Last Thursday one child woke up from her nap and was so congested she gagged. Mom kept her home the next day, took her to the doc, but they said its viral. No tests were done to make sure.

All 4 of my daycare kids have the cough. Yesterday my 5 mo dck started coughing and by this morning he was so bad he threw up 10 minutes after dcm left from gagging. His cough is different in that it's very tight (the others it's very loose) and barky. Dcm and I, who is my sister, watched a couple videos of children with pertussis and the barking sounds very similar. The only difference is he's not to the point where he can't catch his breath.

My question is what do I do about the other children? Whatever it is every child has it... If it does end up being pertussis do I exclude ALL of the children until they have seen a doctor? Will this just keep going around and around? If they start antibiotics will that make it no longer contagious? I'd love any advice anyone has. Thank you!

[Great Beginnings]

Ugh, I was just talking to my mother about this. I have had this cough for 3 weeks. I thought it started out as an allergy trigger but it just wouldn't go away. I'm 8 weeks pregnant so I figured that's why it was lingering. Well as of the last 4 days I cough so hard that I wet myself and gag until I vomit mucas. Then I can breath better for a bit before I have another fit.

I have an appointment tomorrow but from what I understand you are most contagious before you get to the violent coughing and it looks like you just have a common cold.

[melilley]

It's going around here also. All the kids here are coughing and the docs also said it's viral (2 went to the docs).

[Leigh]

What you describe sounds more like Croup to me. There is really no treatment required (usually), but I would exclude any kid with symptoms. A kid with severe symptoms may need steroid treatment.

[craftymissbeth]

What you describe sounds more like Croup to me. There is really no treatment required (usually), but I would exclude any kid with symptoms. A kid with severe symptoms may need steroid treatment.

Yes! I didn't think of croup. I just watched a video and it sounds just like my little guy

Ok so my question is what do I do as far as the other dck's? They all clearly have something similar going on... it's not severe enough to fall under an exclusion in my symptom policy, but is this an illness that needs to be excluded for anyway?

[Leigh]

Yes! I didn't think of croup. I just watched a video and it sounds just like my little guy

Ok so my question is what do I do as far as the other dck's? They all clearly have something similar going on... it's not severe enough to fall under an exclusion in my symptom policy, but is this an illness that needs to be excluded for anyway?

I exclude for it, because the kids have uncontrollable coughing, are usually quite uncomfortable, and they are spraying germs around with every cough. For your own little one, if he is very uncomfortable from the illness, he deserves to have his Mom's full attention during his illness.

You have to do what feels right, but with my own child, I'd close for a day or two or three until the worst has passed.

[SilverSabre25]

I was going to say croup too. Croup itslef is not contagious, but the cold that led to it is. Since he is SO little, I would exclude for it until it's better. I'm cautious with babies.

[Sunchimes]

Croup went through here last week. One ended up in ER the others weren't as bad. The first had a minor, rare croupy cough and no fever. Dr said it was an ear infection so I let him stay. Second missed 2 days, 3rd had a cough but no fever.

[MarinaVanessa]

What you describe sounds more like Croup to me. There is really no treatment required (usually), but I would exclude any kid with symptoms. A kid with severe symptoms may need steroid treatment.

That's what it sounds like to me too, unless none of your DCK's have gotten the pertussis shot. I'd check your immunization records and if any kids are missing this shot recommend to their parents that they have them checked out.

[Childminder]

Just saw a pin that suggests making jello but not cooling it and mixing in some honey. The warm jello coats the throat and the honey is medicinal. This might help the littles and the pregnant? Of course not for under one.

[Great Beginnings]

Just saw a pin that suggests making jello but not cooling it and mixing in some honey. The warm jello coats the throat and the honey is medicinal. This might help the littles and the pregnant? Of course not for under one.

Thank you for that! I don't want to take any medicine so I have been trying all the tricks I find online! I will have to have dh stop for some honey so I can try this!!

[Childminder]

Also coat the bottom of the feet with Vicks VapoRub. Works on my grand babies.

[SilverSabre25]

That's what it sounds like to me too, unless none of your DCK's have gotten the pertussis shot. I'd check your immunization records and if any kids are missing this shot recommend to their parents that they have them checked out.

Most of the pertussis cases these days are actually more prevalent in vaccinated populations. It's a different strain than the one in the vax and the vax seems to increase susceptibility to this one.

[MarinaVanessa]

Most of the pertussis cases these days are actually more prevalent in vaccinated populations. It's a different strain than the one in the vax and the vax seems to increase susceptibility to this one.

This is interesting. My project for my Child Health, Nutrition and Safety class is on Immunizations. Do you have a link to this information? I'd love to include this in my project and bring this up in discussion. I'm doing "both sides of the story" thing. Thanks!!

[Unregistered]

My kiddo just finished up a nasty bout with croup. Was bad enough she ended up on steroids. She only needed two doses- only had to take them until the barking cough went away. Doctor said it's caused by a bad cold, so excluding only makes sense if she's too sick and uncomfortable to participate. I kept her out for a few days for some extra snuggles. When I called the daycare to report her being out, they said it was going around, but she was the only one with it bad enough to require steroids. We used a cool mist humidifier, tea, lots of liquids, and spending time outside at night in the cool air if the cough got too bad. The cough was gone quick but the cold stuck for a little while.