Update, DS cough, possibly Whooping cough??

[ArizonaGirl]

UPDATE: He had a chest X-ray today and an appt with his pulm and dr said there is evidence of an asthma exacerbation, and a spot of infiltrates in the right middle lobe. He gave us a script for azithromycin in addition to the prednisolone and atrovent.

If he doesn't get remarkably better in the next 24 hours he gave us an order, for the blood work for Whooping Cough and he wants that done at that time.

Hopefully we will see improvement and we don't have to go that route.

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DS has asthma and has had this wet, ucky cough for the past couple of days that doesn't seem to be responding very well to the albuterol.

What concerns me is that starting Friday it seems that mid-cough he does this sort of gasping noise and then finishes coughing.

I saw his pulm at work today and he sent in a script for prednisolone and atrovent to add to the albuterol (we already do pulmicort 2X a day).

We are getting a chest Xray tomorrow and I will make an appt with him.

He has had no fever, but the sound has me a bit worried it is pertussis.

DD is only 4.5 months old so I worry about her being exposed if it is pertussis.

What do you all think?

[kdeunc]

My mom had whooping cough as a child and said that if you ever heard the sound you would not forget it and it is different than any other. I think it actually sounds more like a whoop than a gasp. I know I have had coughs where I get winded and have to catch my breath before I can finish coughing. Maybe that is what you are hearing. Hope he feels better soon.

[redhookmom]

I just got done with Whooping Cough and did not make the typical whoop sound. It has been going around where I live. A friend of mine has a son who had whooping cough with the asthma. In the beginning she thought it might be WC so the dr. did a swab test - negative. Weeks and many docs later they did the blood test and found out it was WC. The coughing got severe and extra scary coupled with the asthma. So my point is - ask about that blood test. BTW, both this little boy and I have been vaccinated.

[ArizonaGirl]

Thank guys,

He is going in for a chest xray and a dr appt tomorrow, so I will make sure to ask about the blood test.

I hope it isn't since DD is not protected yet

[Melbel]

Sending prayers and positive thoughts for your family. Please keep us posted!

[swissair81]

My DD4 is coughing so violently at times she sounds like she's choking. At the end of the last coughing jag she vomited all over me. We've been at the doctor 3 times in a week and a half, and I believe we'll have to go back today. She never coughs while we're there, of course.

[ladysoapmaker]

If you are concerned about Whooping Cough, get the blood test. DD#1 had whooping cough several years ago and we (including her asthma specialist) thought it was bronchitis and just bad allergies that year. It didn't sound like the classic whooping cough sound. It wasn't until I was told that she had been exposed (by the mother of the child that exposed her, I'm still mad at dad as he had seen us several times before that) did I call the doctors office and tell them. They immediately had us go to the local Children's hospital to get the bloodwork done.

Jen

[ArizonaGirl]

bump for update

[LizLemon]

With a young baby at home, what is the rationale with waiting for the whooping cough blood test? The lesion on the chest film? Not second guessing your doctor, just curious. This must be very stressful for you for multiple reasons - I hope your son feels better soon!

[ArizonaGirl]

LizLemon,

When he was at the pulm, he had a coughing fit and the pulm said that he is thinking that it is more than likely asthma coupled with the infection and thinks that it is prob not pertussis now that he has heard the cough. He is thinking that if there is not drastic improvement by this pm that then we should do the test, but he is thinking/hoping that it is "just" an infection and an asthma flair.

We are stressed, and hoping that things improve and DS is his normal happy, rambunctious self (which also scares me how normal he is acting based on how sick he is).

Thanks everyone