[Ohhmum]

I have just come home after a GP visit with DS2, nearly six months. He has been in contact with a school friend of DS1 who's dad called yesterday to let us know his (vaccinated) DD has been hospitalised with whooping cough. My DS2 has been unwell with a runny nose for about a week and developed a nasty cough about three days ago so i took him to get checked out just in case, as he has only had two out of three of the whooping cough shots so far. His cough is not really extreme, and GP says that he would have some immunity from the two shots he has had, that if he does have it it is likely a mild case. GP suggested that the swab test for whooping cough is invasive and very uncomfortable for bubs and that he would prescribe the antibiotics for him without the test. I am not a big fan of antibiotics generally, so i am not super keen to give them if not strictly needed. What would you do? Give the drugs he may not need? Wait and see? insist on the test? DS2 is feeding well, sleeping ok and not unusually upset or anything. Just runny nose and cough, worse at night. Without the whooping cough phonecall i would have just assumed a standard cold...

Sorry if this is hard to follow. Three year old chattering in my ear - can't concentrate!!

[ednaboo]

If the GP recommended antibiotic's, I would give the antibiotic's.

[Bunsen]

I wouldn't mess about where whooping cough is concerned, I would give the antibiotics.

[Winterdanceparty]

Absolutely - give the antibiotics as whooping cough is a nasty disease and if one child was hospitalised, then it is fairly serious.

[Natttmumm]

I would give the antibiotics but still insist on the test. It took 2 seconds and my kids cried for about 10 seconds - big deal. Both mine came back positive (both fully immunised). DD1 coughed for weeks and weeks but was not in a state to be in hospital or anything like that - she didnt get the antibiotcs until the cough started. DD2 (aged 1) was given them as a precaution and did test positive but never coughed at all. The doc thinks beacuse she was more recently immunised she fought it off.

The antibiotics did upset all of our tummies - but it was only for 5 days from memory

[Leggy]

Normally I hate taking "just in case" antibiotics with a passion, but whooping cough in a baby is a scary, scary thing. I'd take the antibiotics in this case.

[meggs1]

My son had the test at around that age or a little older. It was over really fast and he was fine by the time we left the pathology place.

[futureself]

I too am usually very, very against taking antibiotics but for the most severe of confirmed infections. However, I would in this case have him take them, but I'd also insist on the test so you know for sure and can have an idea in the future as to your child's exposure to disease.

I'd also take high doses of probiotics if breastfeeding or give him them directly in his bottle or puree to help keep his system in balance whilst on the antibiotics.

[Bottom]

Take the antibiotics! Believe me, the test is agonizing, and I have a very high pain threshold. It only doesn't hurt a lot if you are not ill- if you are coughing, runny nose etc, your sinuses are tender and the test pain goes on for hours. My eyes were still watering the next day, and the ache was extreme. The doctor gave me the test because she was so reluctant to give it to my son because of the pain and she just put him on antibiotics.

[Bottom]

Ohm by the way, there are two types of tests but the most invasive one is the most accurate (they are gradually phasing out the less invasive one as it has proven to be inaccurate too much- that's what my son's dr told me, anyhow).