Pertussis outbreak at DS' school. We don't vax. What would you do?

[myjo]

I don't vaccinate my kids because I don't want to cause long term health problems. But I just found out that someone in my DS' school has pertussis. I have an asthmatic 4 year old, and if this were brought home to him, it would be very, very bad.

I know there are homeopathic vaccinations. Has anyone here tried them? Do you think they work? I need to do something to protect my kids.

[aniT]

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=195623

[Marnica]

In addition to vitamin c as in the above thread...consult with an ND or homeopath about Pertussin nosode. There is evidence that it can be helpful in an outbreak. Google Dr. Isaac Golden and read his stuff

[Bellejar]

I had whooping cough four years ago, the cough lasted for four or so months and was so bad it made me vomit. I would seriously consider homeschooling until the outbreak is over. Seriously, this was so much worst than a cold and flu typed cough. It kept me up nights to the point where I was willing to take cough syrup laced with codeine. What a nasty disease.

[Panserbjorne]

vitamin C is excellent, but homeopathy is brilliant. I have never used it prophylactically....that isn't my approach. But I used it when we got pertussis and it was very helpful.

[myjo]

vitamin C is excellent, but homeopathy is brilliant. I have never used it prophylactically....that isn't my approach. But I used it when we got pertussis and it was very helpful.

I'm pretty experienced with acute prescribing. Would pertussin 30x actually work for an active infection, or would it be better just to give the similimum?

I already give my 4 yr old about 500 mgs of sodium ascorbate every night. I suppose I should try doing bowel tolerance. The problem with that is that he's already on some things that loosen his stool such as magnesium and amalaki juice. So it would be hard to know what is doing what.

I'm really scared he will get this because he is still coughing from something nasty he caught last week, and if he gets another infection, he will most likely have to go on oral steroids for his asthma, which would make it extremely difficult for him to fight off a serious infection like pertussis. And I'm also afraid to give the nosode prophylactically because I know it can cause some serious reactions. It might make his asthma so bad he would have to go to the hospital. Also, I don't know if homeopathy would work for him because he has to use a nebulizer each time he gets sick, which would most likely antidote any remedies I gave him. Unless I hit on the right remedy the very first time and was able to time his doses perfectly so that he didn't wheeze, it probably wouldn't work.

I guess I'll just have to try to do my best, and hope for the best.

[Panserbjorne]

I used the simillimum with pertussinum (1M in my case) as an intercurrent. HTH. FWIW (and you know it's not much!) my simillimum was ipecac. It had the wheezing, coughing til you puke etc.etc.etc.

I tend to wait for the case to present, but I totally understand your concern.

There are herbs you can look at as well if that feels better to you.

[Mirzam]

You might find this a helpful read:

Whooping-cough Cured with Pertussin by Dr John Henry Clark

He goes into both Pertussin 30 and other remedies.

[jeliphish]

I would be worried about your asthmatic LO.... I wouldn't expose your older DS for that reason.

[Emmeline II]

I would go with the SA then.

[myjo]

I'm trying to find bowel tolerance for SA in all my kids right now. We are going to get some pertussin 30 at the ND today as well as some other remedies that are specific to whooping cough (actually, I think Drosera is the only one I don't have).

We're taking them out of school until we know if any other kids are going to come down with it. We're also having them tested today to see if they are infected.

Thanks for the info on the homeopathics.

[myjo]

I was just reading some of the case histories of John Henry Clark. It seems he took nearly the same approach as Panserbjorn, which was to use pertussin if it was a confirmed case of whooping cough and if the symptomology was similar enough to pertussin, but he also used other remedies concurrently or after the pertussin. I sure wish we had some really good homeopaths around here I could consult with. We live in a small farming community, so if I want to use homeopathy, it's up to me alone. I've cured many acute cases of friends and family, but I still feel inadequate. It's such a complicated and exacting treatment modality.

[ZoeyZoo]

I recently had pertussis and something I came across in my research (it's on mainstream sites like Wipedia) is that the pertussis testing will only work accurately during a certain stage (I think it was second stage where the symptoms start.) If you do testing now it might yield a false nagative.

[LisaJP]

Myjo:

I live in N IL and there is an excellent homeopath in Beloit, WI who has a website and has treated people long distance.

Her name is Krista Voysest and if you do an internet search you will find her site. I have taken my dd to her and she's very accessible. Hope that helps!!

[myjo]

Thank you Lisa, I'll look her up.

[Silvercrest79]

OP, where do you live? I am in Mid Michigan and there was a Children's Special Health Care nurse out here to do my youngest daughter's recertification and she informed me there was an outbreak in the public schools and that I should have gotten a letter about it.

[myjo]

We're in Washington State. We got a call from the school nurse because are kids are unvaccinated. All the other parents were getting letters.

[stik]

Given the potential consequences of your 4yo getting pertussis, I would keep your older child home from school until the outbreak is over.

[Lollicup]

Originally Posted by myjo

I know there are homeopathic vaccinations. Has anyone here tried them? Do you think they work? I need to do something to protect my kids.

My Dr., Dr. Feder in LA doesn't recommend nosodes because in her research, she doesn't believe they are as effective as vaccinations.

[Panserbjorne]

Even if the data used for research was reliable it's irrelevant for someone who has no intention of getting the vaccine. If the vaccine is 70% effective (making this up) and the nosode even used *inappropriately* was 55% effective, that extra 15% makes no difference if that option isn't on the table. In this case the nosode would still be a good option.

BTW....I'm not sure if you are replying specifically to the nosodes or to the "pertussis" nosode. I wonder if you can clarify. I have never encountered a homeopath (IRL, online, in practice, through reading and studying or at seminars) who would say out loud that the pertussis vaccine is effective. Everyone I know rather vociferously protests against them. In fact all that I have encountered will tell you that vaccines are pretty much rubbish with the possible exception of tetanus. The point there being is that the vaccine enters the body in the same way the infection does. I know some suggest polio, but only because they haven't encountered it themselves.

I know that many classical homeopaths don't love the notoriety the nosodes get because it takes the focus away from proper treatment (the simillimum.) But it doesnt' sound like that's what you are saying....Does your doc/homeopath recommend vaccines?