Keep your kid home when they have Whooping Cough

[Green Tea]

Yeah, my kids were vaccinated but apparently so was the kid in school who has an active case and who's parents are not allowing staying home. Sure, work is going to be missed. But hello, it is a public health issue.

 

[KAMKIM]

Yeah, my kids were vaccinated but apparently so was the kid in school who has an active case and who's parents are not allowing staying home. Sure, work is going to be missed. But hello, it is a public health issue.

I am surprised they didn't send him home...

 

[maelstrom]

Does the school know that this kid has whooping cough? If they do and they're still allowing him to attend, give the superintendent a ring. If you find no satisfaction there, call the board of health.

 

[JessicaR]

A case of Whooping Cough would be sent home immediately. The parents wouldnt have a choice. Pertussis is highly contagious.

 

[lovetoscrap]

HOLY COW! I would be livid! The school should be able to send him home and if the parents refuse then they can call CPS. Call the school and as someone said if that doesn't work then call the District office.

If the child were in contact with mine (same class or lunch period etc.) then I would be keeping mine home, and I know quite a few friends that would be joining me. I am not really an overreacter but this would be a very bad situation for our asthmatic family.

If the kid's doctor has cleared him to be in school that would be different but I would want to know for sure from someone that it is medically okay for him to be there.

 

[Green Tea]

Hopefully he isn't back tomorrow.

When are kids revaccinated for this? At 12?

 

[sbell111]

Yeah, my kids were vaccinated but apparently so was the kid in school who has an active case and who's parents are not allowing staying home. Sure, work is going to be missed. But hello, it is a public health issue.

Whooping cough???

Do you live in Canada?

 

[Rora]

Wow!! OP- you might want to keep your kids out of school for a day or two.

 

[Christine]

I don't know the particulars of this child, but here are some facts about Pertussis:

It is generally contagious for about 10 days after onset. Most doctors think it is just a "cold" or a respiratory issue and don't diagnosis it until AFTER the contagious part is over and that cough lingers on. The cough can last 6 months but you are not contagious that long at all.

If you are lucky and the doctor diagnosis whooping cough at the onset, they can give you erythromiacin. This will not cure the patient but will stop the contagious aspect of the disease after 24 hours (just like antibiotics do for strep and other bacterial infections).

So, if the boy was diagnosed and treated, he may still sound awful but will not be contagious.

 

[locolala]

I'm so scared about this, to be honest. I have asthma and cannot get whooping cough. It will be disastrous. I'm allergic to most antibiotics so I'd have to be hospitalized to get antibiotics in addition to meds to keep the reaction under control. Ugh. Hopefully your kiddos don't get sick, many thoughts your way.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Whooping cough???

Do you live in Canada?

I don't know about the OP's location, but we have two cases of whooping cough in my school in Alabama. It's spreading pretty quickly here. We were told that the vaccination wears off over time, and some parents are choosing to skip the vaccination altogether. Between that, strep, the flu, and H1N1, we've got a lot of sick kiddos in our area.

 

[minniebeth]

Our school had a "mini-outbreak" last year and it was suggested that the students stay home for the course of the anibiotics and for the cough to be better. Not just for the sake of others, but for the kids themselves. It just takes so much out of them!
Hope everyone stays healthy!

 

[Christine]

Our school had a "mini-outbreak" last year and it was suggested that the students stay home for the course of the anibiotics and for the cough to be better. Not just for the sake of others, but for the kids themselves. It just takes so much out of them!
Hope everyone stays healthy!

That's hard to do though. My cough was "horrible" for at least 6 weeks, fairly bad for another 4 weeks, and persistant for 6 months.

 

[golfgal]

There are mini-outbreaks of Whooping Cough all the time. It is most dangerous for kids under a year old which is why the vaccinate. Unless there are major respiratory issues it generally isn't as bad for older kids and adults. Now, living with the constant cough is another thing.

 

[Tiggeroo]

Wc is horrible. We had it when my kids were younger their shot had worn off. The cough was excruciating and caused you to vomit. U cracked a rib. However my dr said after three days of antibiotics you were no longer contagious. He pit healthy fily on preventative anti biotics also. It does make you very tired and the cough is very bad and distracting. It persisted pretty badly for at least six months too. It was the worst thing my kids or I ever had. You can get a new booster.

 

[Ephany]

So DD came home today and mentioned that more kids than usual were missing from her class this week. She also said there had been a lot of coughing, which of course brought my mind back to this thread. The flu has hit here early so I'm assuming that's what most of the kids have had, but she also mentioned that her teacher's been wearing sunglasses all week? When I asked why, she said that the teacher's eyes were pink and she was taking tomorrow off to get better. I'm sure she was vigilant about washing her hands and not touching the kids, but I'm really hoping that she wasn't contagious.