Whooping Cough

[Petals]

This disease seems to be on the up this year. I was at the docs a few weeks ago and she told me that there were a lot of cases around.

 

This article in the papers today is bringing home the problem.

 

So anyone who has a new born please be careful.

 

http://www.news.com.au/national/doctors-warn-parents-to-keep-newborns-at-home-as-whooping-cough-epidemic-escalates/story-e6frfkvr-1226056035514

[paulv]

This disease seems to be on the up this year. I was at the docs a few weeks ago and she told me that there were a lot of cases around.

 

This article in the papers today is bringing home the problem.

 

So anyone who has a new born please be careful.

 

http://www.news.com.au/national/doctors-warn-parents-to-keep-newborns-at-home-as-whooping-cough-epidemic-escalates/story-e6frfkvr-1226056035514

 

 

This is undoubtedly a result of the AVN and their ilk.

Similar issues are seen in the UK with children dying from measles and other preventable illnesses due to misinformation from people with a complete lack of understanding of science, and evidence based medicine.

 

It's almost as if people want a return to the middle ages!

[Guest Guest31881]

This is undoubtedly a result of the AVN and their ilk.

Similar issues are seen in the UK with children dying from measles and other preventable illnesses due to misinformation from people with a complete lack of understanding of science, and evidence based medicine.

 

It's almost as if people want a return to the middle ages!

 

Don't get me started on this theme, I spent 33 years on the Ambulance service and saw many many children who suffered or died unnecessarily because parents would rather listen to friends or relatives "Old Wives tales" than their doctor. Measles is a killer, Mumps can make males sterile. A lot of parents have said to me that they wanted to wait till the child was old enough to make their own decision, Sorry but when they are Blind, or sterile or even dead, they will not thank parents for waiting. A lot of these childhood illnesses can maim and kill.

 

OK rant over...:biggrin:

[caramac]

We almost lost our first daughter to whooping cough, so that article makes me so very sad for the McCaffery's.

Our daughter was two weeks old when she became ill. My oh and I both had a fluey illness and I felt more ill than I ever had before, but thought it was because I'd had a difficult delivery and lack of sleep.

 

Eloise was vomiting and listless, so we called the gp out who said she'd be fine because she'd be getting antibodies from me, so we kept going. Then she started turning a dusky shade and we'd have to slap her back to start her breathing again. It was weird - my husband is a dr and I'm a nurse, but we were both so ill we couldn't think properly. The gp came out again and told us we were being over protective, medical parents (Eloise was fine between these bouts), so we carried on for another day until I got so worried I called a different gp who came, called an ambulance and sent us to hospital.

 

When we arrived in A&E the medical staff measured E's oxygen saturation which was 35% and she was admitted immediately. I spent all day with her, but wasn't able to stay overnight because I was too ill. The following day we were told she had whooping cough. We couldn't believe it, but soon after that my oh and I started coughing. The coughing comes in bouts and you can't stop. You keep going until there is no air left, then the whoop as your lungs fill again and it starts again. Usually this is followed by vomiting.

 

Very young babies don't cough, they just stop breathing and it's exhausting for them. At 1am on the third night we had a phone call to say that Eloise had deteriorated and had been transferred to ITU and could I go in. She'd had several respiritory arrests the previous evening and she was becoming very weak.

I then had to drive the 25 miles to the hospital and was met by two nursing staff who explained the situation to me and told me what was happening. I kept asking if she'd be ok, but all they'd say was 'We're doing all we can' or wouldn't answer at all. Even as a nurse who knows what all the equipment is for, seeing your baby attached to it is frightening.

She had a feeding tube down her nose and a ventilator breathing for her. She had her arms and legs tied down to stop her pulling the tubes out. She had an o2 monitor on her chest - this had to be moved every day or so because it burned her skin and she had a line for fluids in the back of her hand (this was moved often because it would 'tissue'). She had them in her feet, behind her knees, all along her arms and even on her head as they ran out of places to put them. She would scream when these were being moved, but, as she was ventilated, there was no sound. I have never worried since about giving my children a bit of paracetamol - she was on such a cocktail of really heavy duty drugs, including morphine.

I spent all day everyday there, alternately expressing milk for her and coughing/vomiting. During one really bad coughing fit one of my ribs cracked which made every cough even more painful.

 

We couldn't pick Eloise up to cuddle her, or wind her which was hard. She would be fed through the tube and her suck reflex would start, but she was sucking on air, so her tummy filled with wind. It must have been painful for her. We gave her a dummy which helped a little, but not completely. It was horrible, not being able to comfort her properly.

My husband was having to work through all this as he was covering someone elses consultant post (his first ever experience as a consultant, so pretty stressful). He'd come at the end of each day and stay for a while before driving home alone (I was staying in a flat provided for parents with very sick children by this point).

After three weeks of ups and downs and not knowing we were told that she would live. It doesn't sound long now, but when you're living it every day, it's really hard. The worst part was, as we were being told that, the 9 week old little boy in the neighbouring ward died.

We were told that Eloise might have suffered some brain damage, or that her lungs or heart might have been affected, but thankfully she was ok.

It took over six months for us to stop coughing and I still need an inhaler in winter now.

 

It's a horrible disease and it can be prevented. I know people have a choice about whether or not to vaccinate, but in order to protect those who can't, for medical reasons be immunised, or those who are too young, we have a social responsibility to do so. In my opinion anyway.

I would hate to see others having to endure what we, and especially those who are not as lucky as us, had to live through. It's hideous and unneccessary. Even now, 16 years on, it's as clear and raw (when I'm reminded of it) in my mind as it was then.

[Petals]

Sorry you had to experience this disease first hand Caramac.

 

There is too much complacency about vaccination and childhood diseases of the past these days. As bugs are becoming resistant to antibiotics vaccination is our only hope of keeping them from coming back.

 

In my mind I believe its a social responsibility to vaccinate if we are going to live in a densely populated society.

 

I am old enough to know what they can do, polio was around when I was a small child and we could not get immunised fast enough when the vaccine came about.

[Guest guest30038]

There's been 4 cases reported at Josh's school. This arrived last week............they're really on the ball:yes:

 

Dear Students and Staff

 

Case of Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

 

 

 

The Public Health Unit has been notified of a case of whooping cough occurring in your College.

 

Whooping cough is a highly infectious illness that is spread by coughing and sneezing. The illness is troublesome and distressing at any age but can be very serious in young infants.

 

Vaccination gives good protection to young children, but unfortunately this protection does wane with time. Whooping cough may still occur in older children and adults who were fully immunised in early childhood.

 

The following precautions are recommended to prevent spread of whooping cough in your school:

 

· We recommend that anyone with a persistent cough should see their local doctor immediately. Students with symptoms should not attend classes until they have been advised they are able to by their Doctor. Early diagnosis and treatment of this illness is important to limit the spread of whooping cough in the University and the community. If whooping cough is detected early in its course, treatment will reduce the time it is infectious to other people.

 

· The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends that all cases of whooping cough are excluded from classes for a period of 21 days from onset of symptoms or until they have received five days of a seven day course of antibiotics.

 

· It is very important to ensure that all young children are up to date with their vaccinations. Protection against whooping cough is included in the routine vaccinations given to children at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and at 4 years. If younger children have missed any of these vaccinations they can still be vaccinated against whooping cough up until their 8th birthday.

 

· A once only dose of adult whooping cough booster vaccine (Boostrix or Adacel) is available at your local GP. This vaccine provides a booster vaccination for whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria for people 8 years of age or older. This vaccine is recommended for all child care workers, parents planning pregnancy or for parents of newborn children as soon as possible after delivery. This vaccine is currently free for parents (including adoptive and foster parents) and grandparents of babies under 6 months of age. Other adults in a household with a baby under 6 months of age are also eligible for free vaccine. Please speak to your doctor if you wish to discuss having this vaccine.

 

A Queensland Health fact sheet on whooping cough is enclosed for your information. If you have any concerns please arrange to contact your doctor.

 

Description:

Whooping cough (or pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection caused by the bacterium Bordetella

pertussis. It can affect babies, children, adolescents and adults. For adolescents and adults the infection may only

cause an irritating, persistent cough. However, whooping cough can be life threatening for babies and young

children, particularly those not fully protected by vaccination. During coughing attacks, a baby or child's breathing

can be obstructed and they may become blue or stop breathing.

Symptoms:

Whooping cough may start like a cold, with a runny nose, sneezing and tiredness, and then the characteristic cough

develops. These coughing bouts can be very severe and frightening, and may end with a crowing noise (the whoop).

This occurs as air is drawn back into the chest, and can be followed by vomiting or gagging. Bouts of coughing may

continue for many weeks even after treatment.

Infants under six months of age, vaccinated children, adolescents and adults often don't have the typical whoop.

Transmission:

Whooping cough bacteria are highly infectious and are spread to other people by an infected person coughing and

sneezing. The infection can also be passed on through direct contact with infected secretions from the mouth or

nose. The time between exposure to the bacteria and getting sick is usually seven to ten days, but can be up to

three weeks.

A person is most infectious in the early stages of their illness. Unless treated with antibiotics, a person is regarded as

infectious for three weeks after the cough began.

Treatment:

Treatment is a full course of antibiotics which reduces the time a person is infectious to others. Antibiotics need to be

given within 21 days of the start of general symptoms or within 14 days of the start of coughing. Antibiotics may

reduce symptoms if given early.

Some people who have had close contact with an infected person may need to take antibiotics to prevent infection.

This includes people at high risk of serious complications (eg. children aged less than one year who are not fully

vaccinated and women near the end of their pregnancy) and others who live or work with people at risk.

Control

A person with whooping cough should stay away from work, school, preschool and child-care until they have had at

least 5 days of their course of antibiotics, or until 21 days after the cough began.

If children who have had less than three doses of whooping cough vaccine are close contacts of an infected person,

they should stay away from preschool and childcare until they have taken a full course of antibiotics, or for 14 days

after their last exposure to the infected person.

Prevention:

Vaccination is the most effective way to prevent whooping cough. The vaccine is recommended and available free

for: . all children at 2, 4 and 6 months of age and 4 years of age. Vaccines due at 2 months of age can be given from

. 6 weeks, and those due at 4 years can be given from 3 years 6 months Year 10 students (booster).

A booster dose is also recommended for any adults who haven't had a previous booster,

[fish.01]

They've even bought the whooping cough immunisation forward for babies so note that the existing immunisation schedule is wrong.

[Guest RichB]

You could also say alot of people dont trust vaccinations, the government, ie the pharma companies who produce these vaccinations, that is why they decide not to have them. Alot of people think as an individual rather than follow the herd and decide agains these vaccinations for themselves and their children..Doctors listen to the big Pharma companies so whatever they are told they will carry out..Is it not a good idea to question everything that could affect your life rather than just believe everything you are told..

Would it be inconceivable to believe that in the not to distant future a mass depopulation of humanity programme will take place and that the people whos immune systems have been deliberately weakened by these vacines will be the first to be wiped out??

[janine the party queen]

You could also say alot of people dont trust vaccinations, the government, ie the pharma companies who produce these vaccinations, that is why they decide not to have them. Alot of people think as an individual rather than follow the herd and decide agains these vaccinations for themselves and their children..Doctors listen to the big Pharma companies so whatever they are told they will carry out..Is it not a good idea to question everything that could affect your life rather than just believe everything you are told..

Would it be inconceivable to believe that in the not to distant future a mass depopulation of humanity programme will take place and that the people whos immune systems have been deliberately weakened by these vacines will be the first to be wiped out??

 

Eee there's nowt as strange as folks !!!!!!!!

Bit too early on a Monday morning for conspiracy theories.

With over 4000 confirmed cases it's a no brainer to me.Why would any sane,sensible parent put their child at risk ????

While I respect it's a personnel choice there is enough information out there to make an informed choice.Your childs health is more important than following the latest trend.

[Petals]

You could also say alot of people dont trust vaccinations, the government, ie the pharma companies who produce these vaccinations, that is why they decide not to have them. Alot of people think as an individual rather than follow the herd and decide agains these vaccinations for themselves and their children..Doctors listen to the big Pharma companies so whatever they are told they will carry out..Is it not a good idea to question everything that could affect your life rather than just believe everything you are told..

Would it be inconceivable to believe that in the not to distant future a mass depopulation of humanity programme will take place and that the people whos immune systems have been deliberately weakened by these vacines will be the first to be wiped out??

 

If there were no pharmaceutical companies I would not have my daughter she only lives because of them. My mum also lives because of them.

 

Its funny how people change their opinions when they are faced with losing a child or a family member, its then we expect to have the medical and pharmaceutical companies come up with drugs and treatments to save them.

 

Just making it harder for them when we ignore what is already available.

[LKC]

We almost lost our first daughter to whooping cough, so that article makes me so very sad for the McCaffery's.

Our daughter was two weeks old when she became ill. My oh and I both had a fluey illness and I felt more ill than I ever had before, but thought it was because I'd had a difficult delivery and lack of sleep.

 

Eloise was vomiting and listless, so we called the gp out who said she'd be fine because she'd be getting antibodies from me, so we kept going. Then she started turning a dusky shade and we'd have to slap her back to start her breathing again. It was weird - my husband is a dr and I'm a nurse, but we were both so ill we couldn't think properly. The gp came out again and told us we were being over protective, medical parents (Eloise was fine between these bouts), so we carried on for another day until I got so worried I called a different gp who came, called an ambulance and sent us to hospital.

 

When we arrived in A&E the medical staff measured E's oxygen saturation which was 35% and she was admitted immediately. I spent all day with her, but wasn't able to stay overnight because I was too ill. The following day we were told she had whooping cough. We couldn't believe it, but soon after that my oh and I started coughing. The coughing comes in bouts and you can't stop. You keep going until there is no air left, then the whoop as your lungs fill again and it starts again. Usually this is followed by vomiting.

 

Very young babies don't cough, they just stop breathing and it's exhausting for them. At 1am on the third night we had a phone call to say that Eloise had deteriorated and had been transferred to ITU and could I go in. She'd had several respiritory arrests the previous evening and she was becoming very weak.

I then had to drive the 25 miles to the hospital and was met by two nursing staff who explained the situation to me and told me what was happening. I kept asking if she'd be ok, but all they'd say was 'We're doing all we can' or wouldn't answer at all. Even as a nurse who knows what all the equipment is for, seeing your baby attached to it is frightening.

She had a feeding tube down her nose and a ventilator breathing for her. She had her arms and legs tied down to stop her pulling the tubes out. She had an o2 monitor on her chest - this had to be moved every day or so because it burned her skin and she had a line for fluids in the back of her hand (this was moved often because it would 'tissue'). She had them in her feet, behind her knees, all along her arms and even on her head as they ran out of places to put them. She would scream when these were being moved, but, as she was ventilated, there was no sound. I have never worried since about giving my children a bit of paracetamol - she was on such a cocktail of really heavy duty drugs, including morphine.

I spent all day everyday there, alternately expressing milk for her and coughing/vomiting. During one really bad coughing fit one of my ribs cracked which made every cough even more painful.

 

We couldn't pick Eloise up to cuddle her, or wind her which was hard. She would be fed through the tube and her suck reflex would start, but she was sucking on air, so her tummy filled with wind. It must have been painful for her. We gave her a dummy which helped a little, but not completely. It was horrible, not being able to comfort her properly.

My husband was having to work through all this as he was covering someone elses consultant post (his first ever experience as a consultant, so pretty stressful). He'd come at the end of each day and stay for a while before driving home alone (I was staying in a flat provided for parents with very sick children by this point).

After three weeks of ups and downs and not knowing we were told that she would live. It doesn't sound long now, but when you're living it every day, it's really hard. The worst part was, as we were being told that, the 9 week old little boy in the neighbouring ward died.

We were told that Eloise might have suffered some brain damage, or that her lungs or heart might have been affected, but thankfully she was ok.

It took over six months for us to stop coughing and I still need an inhaler in winter now.

 

It's a horrible disease and it can be prevented. I know people have a choice about whether or not to vaccinate, but in order to protect those who can't, for medical reasons be immunised, or those who are too young, we have a social responsibility to do so. In my opinion anyway.

I would hate to see others having to endure what we, and especially those who are not as lucky as us, had to live through. It's hideous and unneccessary. Even now, 16 years on, it's as clear and raw (when I'm reminded of it) in my mind as it was then.

 

So glad that things turned out well in the end.

 

This is exactly why we had our (fortunately) very healthy daughters vaccinated. Not for their sakes, but for those who can't be vaccinated because they are too young or already immunocompromised, and are at real risk of serious illness should a disease be passed on. It isn't about following the herd in my opinion, and it isn't just about protecting your own children, but also about protecting the community as a whole.

[paulv]

You could also say alot of people dont trust vaccinations, the government, ie the pharma companies who produce these vaccinations, that is why they decide not to have them. Alot of people think as an individual rather than follow the herd and decide agains these vaccinations for themselves and their children..Doctors listen to the big Pharma companies so whatever they are told they will carry out..Is it not a good idea to question everything that could affect your life rather than just believe everything you are told..

Would it be inconceivable to believe that in the not to distant future a mass depopulation of humanity programme will take place and that the people whos immune systems have been deliberately weakened by these vacines will be the first to be wiped out??

 

 

I'm the first person to be sceptical about big pharma, and I don't believe that we should swallow everything that we are told.

But as far as children are concerned, if you don't want to get yours immunised, then I suggest that you home school them, and keep them away from public areas where other kids play or vulnerable groups are at risk of infection.

[landv]

It is worrying, I have a young 8 months old baby.

 

It might be a naive question, but if they had all the scheduled vaccinations, including whooping cough, could they still get it?

[Guest Guest31881]

It is worrying, I have a young 8 months old baby.

 

It might be a naive question, but if they had all the scheduled vaccinations, including whooping cough, could they still get it?

 

 

Hi landv,

 

Basically the vaccinations are given for your body to start producing antibodies against the illness, so if you come into contact with an infected person you could still catch it, but your body already has the antibodies and it will be attacked by your body at a much earlier stage. so simple answer is yes you can still catch it, but hopefully as your body is ready to fight it you may not even realise you had the illness or you may only get mild symptoms.

[Guest guest37336]

I saw my younger brother go through Whooping Cough many a moon ago, (mid seventies) and believe me it is not a sight I liked, it is horrible to see anyone go through this illness and whatever can be done to stop the spread should be grasped with both hands.

 

Like Paul, I am very reticent to believe a word government/big business say, but a little investigation on your own will soon clarify the subject, old wives tales are all well and good, but there comes a time to separate fact from fiction and because of technology we are now able to do this relatively easily.:yes:

 

Cheers Tony.:wink:

[Petals]

It is worrying, I have a young 8 months old baby.

 

It might be a naive question, but if they had all the scheduled vaccinations, including whooping cough, could they still get it?

 

Anyone with a new born presently should probably be aware that its around and it would be prudent not to take the baby into places where a lot of people are around. As I said supermarket was where I first noticed symptoms.

 

As for getting it once vaccinated as has been said yes, mild, my daughter got it at 17 and her symptoms were so mild that it took them a while to diagnose it. Therefore she was a risk for any small child who was not immunised. That said she would not have got it if people had their chldren immunised.

[Guest littlesarah]

You could also say alot of people dont trust vaccinations, the government, ie the pharma companies who produce these vaccinations, that is why they decide not to have them. Alot of people think as an individual rather than follow the herd and decide agains these vaccinations for themselves and their children..Doctors listen to the big Pharma companies so whatever they are told they will carry out..Is it not a good idea to question everything that could affect your life rather than just believe everything you are told..

Would it be inconceivable to believe that in the not to distant future a mass depopulation of humanity programme will take place and that the people whos immune systems have been deliberately weakened by these vacines will be the first to be wiped out??

 

It is clear from your post that you do not understand basic human physiology. If you did, you would understand that there are more efficient ways to reduce human numbers than by attacking the immune system of individuals. In fact, attacking the immune system would be unecessary because the threat to humanity from rapidly-mutating resistant organisms (e.g. influenza, and other micro-organisms) is already a real and present danger. There are already strains of S aureus that are resistant to most antibiotics, and super-resistant TB strains are also emerging. In the face of these challenges, the easiest way to reduce the population of the world would be to cease immunisation programmes and halt the production of HIV medication, as well as that used to treat other chronic conditions. Substitution with placebo would be perfectly possible, in the dystopia you portray.

 

Just so we're clear, all health care professionals are trained to question 'custom and practice' and to evaluate the available evidence before making a clinical decision of any sort. It is part of our ethical and moral duty, and is the reason why scientific journals scrutinise submitted papers by committee before considering them for publication. I'm not saying the system always works - look at Andrew Wakefield; but at least we're trying to be objective and rigourous, rather than make assumptions based on anecdote and fear.

 

I implore all who come into contact with children to ensure that their immunisations are up-to-date. Too many people are willing to risk their children's lives on the basis of unvalidated claims.

 

Please note that this is not intended to be a personal attack or insult; I just really think that before questioning the motives and ethics of others, one should be able to provide at least a little evidence.

 

Love and peace to all.

 

Sarah