6 days to go and whooping cough

[StuckInKS]

Needless to say, we are calling to postpone The babies, my 4-yr old, my 9-yr old (don't know why, the olders are vaxed ) all have pretty icky symptoms, but they said we are all carriers and need to be quarantined for the next 5 days while on antibiotics. It takes us 2-3 days to drive there, but the terrible cough can last longer than that and I really don't want to take them down there hacking, choking and then puking, even if we aren't contagious. So I'm thinking about postponing for a full month or more.

At this point, I'm not sure whether it is best to call and fully cancel, and then rebook once everyone feels better just in case it lasts longer or just to rebook now. I really don't want to lose $200, but if we have to postpone more than once, then those $50 fees will add up too.

Decision, decisions...

 

[lucyem]

My boys got it two summers ago as did a number of kids we know, all vaxed. The vax is not 100% effective. Anyhow my oldest had a weird cough every night for about three weeks. We never would have known what it was excpet my youngest got sick too. My younger son had the full on scary cough and puking at night, totally fine by day. He was pretty bad for a couple of weeks. Of the six we knew who got it two ended up with it turning into pneumonia including my son. So yeah i would encourage you to postpone the trip. One thing that really helped at night was some honey mixed in warm water.

 

[7Le's]

Sorry to hear the kids are sick. Just wanted to mention that whoopping cough is also known as the "90 day cough". it could last much longer then you think. but I hope they get better much sooner then that!

 

[bumbershoot]

The vax is not 100% effective.

Nowhere even *close* to 100%. And in my research I found that all it does it keep the cough from happening (by acting on the toxoid that creates the cough), if/when it works. You still have the "bug", you still have the "cold", you're still spreading it around to all the other people whose vaccines didn't take, and to those who aren't vaxed.

At least if you "whoop", you KNOW, and you stay away from people. Or keep your not-yet-coughing family members away from other people.

I'm actually astonished they got diagnosed! It's usually pretty hard to get people who had a shot diagnosed, since MDs like to think you can't get it. My MD refused to test me or even think of it, when I had a long, long, long cough after a slight cold. (she was no longer my MD after that)



Now here's what you can do to help them out! (the antibiotics are commonly given, but there's really not much research to know if it does a single thing to the person taking it; it doesn't do anything to the length of the illness, it seems.)

Give sodium ascorbate (which is ascorbic acid + sodium bicarbonate (baking powder)). It's a certain sort of Vitamin C, and you give it to belly "tolerance". Which means you give a dose, and if they have belly problems, that means it's just a bit too much, so decrease the dose a bit, and give that.

From mothering.com's message boards:

Dose: 250 mg/per kg of body weight * or to diarrhea stage. After one loose stool cut the dose back to avoid diarrhea.
The dose is for a 24 hour period. Taken in sips all day long.
* for whooping cough the dose should be increased to 375 mg/per kg.
It varies from person to person. Every person has to find his own dose.
The sicker the person/child is, the more SA is indicated.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Nowhere even *close* to 100%. And in my research I found that all it does it keep the cough from happening (by acting on the toxoid that creates the cough), if/when it works. You still have the "bug", you still have the "cold", you're still spreading it around to all the other people whose vaccines didn't take, and to those who aren't vaxed.

At least if you "whoop", you KNOW, and you stay away from people. Or keep your not-yet-coughing family members away from other people.

I'm actually astonished they got diagnosed! It's usually pretty hard to get people who had a shot diagnosed, since MDs like to think you can't get it. My MD refused to test me or even think of it, when I had a long, long, long cough after a slight cold. (she was no longer my MD after that)



Now here's what you can do to help them out! (the antibiotics are commonly given, but there's really not much research to know if it does a single thing to the person taking it; it doesn't do anything to the length of the illness, it seems.)

Give sodium ascorbate (which is ascorbic acid + sodium bicarbonate (baking powder)). It's a certain sort of Vitamin C, and you give it to belly "tolerance". Which means you give a dose, and if they have belly problems, that means it's just a bit too much, so decrease the dose a bit, and give that.

From mothering.com's message boards:

Yes, this. It is highly effective.

I'm so very sorry your babies are sick. Especially the tiny one. HUGS
My 6yo dd had chicken pox 10 days before we were supposed to leave last year, and the 8yo, 2yo and 6 mos baby got it about 2 weeks later. We were so sad to postpone our first Christmas trip. So, I really feel for you.
I would postpone for at least a couple months out. Pertussis can last for 3 months.

 

[StuckInKS]

Thanks for the advice and support

My 2-yr old is already to the stage where he coughs for nearly a minute, then sounds like he's choking and then throws up, so that is why they could not ignore that it was whooping cough. He has had a runny nose and a mild cough for the past 2-3 weeks, but he also has slight allergy and asthma issues, so I thought it was related to that since it took so long for anyone else to get sick. It is worse for him for a few hours after he wakes up and a few hours before he goes to bed, but he does have a spell here and there through the day. Plus, I would hate to be out of town if it turns into pneumonia for him or our 9 month old.

I have a few days to think about either cancelling completely or rebooking right now. Maybe booking for our Nov trip and then moving it up if everyone feels better before then. I nightmare planning-wise, but it is either that or risk having to cancel again in a month or so.

 

[Lilliputian]

My oldest son and I had whooping cough for my entire second trimester when I was pregnant with my second. Ours were mild classes, in that even my son (13 months old when it started) never really had very scary coughing episodes, and he never threw up, but it still lasted forever.

I'd rebook in your shoes, but I'd go ahead and make it for more than 2 months in the future. If it's not a complete 3 months, that's probably okay, but just be aware that there will probably be some lingering cough. But they'll all be used to it by then, and it won't really sound like a contagious, sick cough to people around you. It will be more of a cough like when you have a tickle in your throat.

 

[Claire&TheBoys]

I'm really sorry to hear your family is sick! But I wanted to tell you that if you move your reservation, as long as your cost goes up, they won't charge you the $50 change fee. I think if you explain the situation to the CM, the change fee would likely be waived anyway. Hope everyone is healthy very soon!

 

[Erin1700]

As a parent of a child with asthma and chronic croup, I just wanted to say THANK YOU for thinking of others! I hope you all feel better soon!

 

[kandb]

Hope your children feel better soon. When you are having a tough day, remember you have a disney trip planned.

 

[ready2vacation]

Oh how terrible!! Wishing them a very speedy recovery. It breaks my heart when the little ones are sick. My DD (9 mo) is vaccinated - had no idea so many children still got it even with the shot.

 

[cheshireqt]

No advice, just a warm