Pertussis/Whooping Cough

[WorriedDADNMOM]

Anyone have any experience with Whooping Cough exposure/infection in their Pandas/Pans kids????? We have 3 kiddos exposed to a cousin that is confirmed infected. One dd is severely coughing as of late and she is vaccinated prior. She is 8yso.

 

Just trying to figure out a protocol if any, things we can do to mitigate it, things/complications to look for if any.

 

Any help would be appreciated!!!

[nicklemama]

Antibiotics will help lessen the severity. Get to ped ASAP and have EVERYONE in your household placed on abx.

 

I had whooping cough as an adult. Thought it might kill me and I am NOT exaggerating.

 

Another point to remember, vaccines do not always work and those that do wear out. I was vaccinated as a child for whooping cough. Now that I've had it naturally, I am protected for life.

[WorriedDADNMOM]

I just love this board. I did already call pedi and she was gonna give 5 days Zithromax.....asking for 10. Also asked for all kiddos to be put on it. We will see if she complies with my request.

 

Thanks for the response(s) if others will chime in!!!!!!

[Hopeny]

It's very very dangerous. My former pediatrician mistakenly under-vaccinated my youngest and she got it. Thankfully because she had had some of the vaccine series, it was a mild case. Cannot imagine a severe case. It's terrifying.

 

If your child gets it you need to be vigilant and do not hesitate to go to ER if things go south or if your child is struggling. Not to scare you but children (and adults) do die from it so if things get bad you need to go to the hospital.

Coughing comes in spasms, and then a whoop, my older DD has asthma and I have never heard anything like that cough. If I recall onset is cold like symptoms, diarrhea, and then the worst spasming cough you have ever heard. One of the reasons I am so pro vaccine was going through this.

I don't really understand what the Zith does as it does not treat it, but I think it is supposed to prevent the spread. My ped prescribed it for our whole family when DD got it. Absolutely nothing you can do but pray and watch.

[qannie47]

I have to wonder about the connection to an "imperfect autoimmune system". I wonder if Pandas children fail to have the correct autoimmune response to vaccines. I am glad that you are being so proactive.

[nicklemama]

I wasn't going to scare you but I can tell you exactly what it's like. Starts like a cold that turns into a bad coughing cold. I had no diarrhea. ANYTHING can set the coughing spasms off. Starting to laugh, for one. When they start, you CANNOT catch your breath. You cough out all the air in your lungs. The 'whoop' you hear is the person trying to draw in air. It's VERY difficult to do. You feel you will not get enough air, which makes it all that much harder to draw it in. It's VERY SCARY.

 

At the worst of it, one night, I could not get my breath and I tried to tell my husband to call 911. I had NO air and could only mouth it. To my horror, he got up out of bed and wandered off to the kitchen. I collapsed on the floor, preparing to die but telling myself to relax and remain calm. Slowly and I mean slowly, I could start taking tiny bits of air. He returned with a glass of water, which I laugh about now.

 

That's when I was diagnosed. Had no idea I had whooping cough. Too late for anything to help me and I had explored untold numbers of people. I learned to relax through the coughing fits.

 

I got it from my friend who gave it to her husband, me and my husband. Of the three, I had it the worst and the longest. It started in late May and I was still having coughing fits set off from laughter or clearing my throat, etc.... for three months. It gradually faded away. We were all late 30's/early 40's. We figure my friend got it from one of her high school students.

 

Be vigilant during coughing fits and encourage a child to relax and stay calm.

[WorriedDADNMOM]

Great stories and inputs. Our kiddos were exposed from a cousin that is immune compromised due to Leukemia/Chemo and bone marrow transplant. No re-vaccination yet. It took 4 weeks for them (best docs) to diagnose it. Go figure. Our dd has been complaining of stomach muscles hurting from coughing so much.....things are improving, so I am not really concerned at this point.

 

I appreciate this board, the parents who give a rip and all the input!!!!!! Thanks again!!!!

[Mayzoo]

I have to wonder about the connection to an "imperfect autoimmune system". I wonder if Pandas children fail to have the correct autoimmune response to vaccines. I am glad that you are being so proactive.

 

A bit OT, but my daughter's Rubella and Varicella titers were 10 times higher than they should be, most likely because her immune system is wacky. She had one MMR shot at 15mo, and one Varicella at 12 mo. I cannot imagine how bad her titers would have been had I done the second MMR shot. Actually, all her titers are high, but most are only 2-3 times "normal".

 

Her immuno treated for a year with amantadine to get her Rubella down to almost normal. I am using an herbal antiviral protocol to get the Varicella down. At least I am hoping it will get the Varicella, EBV, HHV-6 and Coxsackie titers down.