Is this whooping cough?

[southernmama59]

Hi all. My little guy is sick again and I'm a bit worried. He first got a hoarse voice last Friday. That night he started coughing some. The next day his nose was running. By yesterday, (Sunday) his nose was full of nasty green mucus and his cough was pretty bad. At first I thought it was croup because of the way it sounded. But now I'm not so sure. It doesn't really sound barky--like a seal.

It sounds wet, but it's only every once in a while and it's several coughs right together. He doesn't whoop, though. However, when he's crying, sometimes he makes sort of a whooping sound, if that makes any sense. Sort of between breaths.

Neither he nor his sibs are vaccinated. If it WERE whooping cough, would it come on this quickly? Ugh. I'm really hoping this is just a run of the mill cold. He's been so sick recently. Ear infections, etc. We've been in and out of the doctor's office in a ridiculous fashion. I'm now thinking that wasn't so smart. A doctor's office seems like a darn good place to pick up something like whooping cough.

[mom61508]

Originally Posted by southernmama59

Hi all. My little guy is sick again and I'm a bit worried. He first got a hoarse voice last Friday. That night he started coughing some. The next day his nose was running. By yesterday, (Sunday) his nose was full of nasty green mucus and his cough was pretty bad. At first I thought it was croup because of the way it sounded. But now I'm not so sure. It doesn't really sound barky--like a seal.

It sounds wet, but it's only every once in a while and it's several coughs right together. He doesn't whoop, though. However, when he's crying, sometimes he makes sort of a whooping sound, if that makes any sense. Sort of between breaths.

Neither he nor his sibs are vaccinated. If it WERE whooping cough, would it come on this quickly? Ugh. I'm really hoping this is just a run of the mill cold. He's been so sick recently. Ear infections, etc. We've been in and out of the doctor's office in a ridiculous fashion. I'm now thinking that wasn't so smart. A doctor's office seems like a darn good place to pick up something like whooping cough.

I'm sorry sounds rough I couldn't tell you what it is. DD had croup a few months ago and she did bark like a seal and had a fever but no green mucus. She isn't vaccinated either, she is 2 and luckily this has been the only sickness we have dealt with.

What are you giving him for his "cold", how old his he, and what's his diet like? If he's sick a lot I would be looking on what needs to change diet wise and maybe adding some beneficial supps to the mix like Vit D, fish oil,probiotic and I'm debating on zinc for us but I know people that are low in zinc tend sick a lot.

[Marnica]

It doesn't sound lIke WC to me. We are dealing with a similar virus/cough right now and I was a bit worried as well, but the botton line is if it IS WC, it will progress and you will know. here is a good description from and old very knowledgeable member (MT)

First they get a cold, which after a week, just seems to go. then they start the odd cough, and after about two weeks, it starts to get strong. If you watch them, they go cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough (and at this point are starting to go pink in the face, cough, cough, (and at this time are starting to wonder when they can have an in-breath) cough, cough, and then right at the end, they stop coughing, and the inbreath is really fast, because they want to expand their lungs.
At the end of the cough, (about a month in), they might bring up a glob of fairly thick mucus. This is because it pools down the bottom of the lungs, because the toxin from the bacteria has finally cut off most of the hairs in the bronchials that sweeps the mucus up and around, like a non-stop river to keep the surfaces moist. The cough sounds dry-ish, and that's because the mucus membranes aren't being kept as regularly moist as they normally are.
Most children, so long as they constantly get that mucus up, and do not pool it (where secondary bacterial infections can set it) only have "problems" when they are coughing. The rest of the time they are normal. Coughing can be provoked by touching the back of the tongue, eating food, or running around.

[neverdoingitagain]

Originally Posted by southernmama59

Hi all. My little guy is sick again and I'm a bit worried. He first got a hoarse voice last Friday. That night he started coughing some. The next day his nose was running. By yesterday, (Sunday) his nose was full of nasty green mucus and his cough was pretty bad. At first I thought it was croup because of the way it sounded. But now I'm not so sure. It doesn't really sound barky--like a seal.

It sounds wet, but it's only every once in a while and it's several coughs right together. He doesn't whoop, though. However, when he's crying, sometimes he makes sort of a whooping sound, if that makes any sense. Sort of between breaths.

Neither he nor his sibs are vaccinated. If it WERE whooping cough, would it come on this quickly? Ugh. I'm really hoping this is just a run of the mill cold. He's been so sick recently. Ear infections, etc. We've been in and out of the doctor's office in a ridiculous fashion. I'm now thinking that wasn't so smart. A doctor's office seems like a darn good place to pick up something like whooping cough.

Sounds like what I have right now. I was worried that it was WC(though the whoop is rare in adults) or croup (I know, I know, also rare in adults they were the only ones that matched the description of my coughing ) but I think its just a upper respiratory infection linked to seasonal allergies. It seems like a lot of people are sick with the same sort of stuff right now. From what I read before it occurs like pp said, over a couple weeks.
Hope your little guy feels better soon