WC Outbreak at DD's Preschool...need advice.

[PiscesMama24]

Hi Mamas,

I was just informed that a child at the preschool DD attends tested positive for whooping cough. Her mother told me that because she is vaccinated that her symptoms look like a minor cold, but the rest of the parents in the program are having their children tested (noses swabbed) so they can start them (and the rest of their families) on medication that physicians are saying is absolutely necessary.

I am 7 months pregnant. So far, DD hasn't started showing any signs, even of a cold, but she is not vaxed, and I'm wondering, what steps I should take, if any given our situation.

Should I take her to the Dr. and get her nose swabbed too, to see if she is carrying Whooping Cough. If she is, should I start her on the medication (I'm assuming they mean antibiotics). Should me and DH take it as well?

I could keep her home for the next couple of weeks to prevent exposure (although chances are she was alrady exposed last week).

I live in California and have been confronted with so many horror stories form other parents, from my OB, etc, and I'm just not sure what the best move is here. What would you do?

TIA Mamas!

[PiscesMama24]

Okay, so I'm guessing from the lack of responses that I'm worrying about nothing...so we're off to preschool!

[New_Natural_Mom]

If you are worried the best thing to do for WC is lots of Vit C (sodium ascorbate). That will nip it in the bud, and if she does get it and you are maxing her out on Vit C it should be less severe. (So says my research.)

[HRJ]

My pediatrician is very supportive of not vaxxing (in fact has an unvaxxed child herself). But she said if my son had a case of WC in his class, she would put him on an antibiotic as a preventative. And I wouldn't have a problem with that. She didn't even mention testing.

[Ravenlunatic]

Putting a child on antibiotics as a preventative is the most insane thing I have ever heard!!!! There are tons, and tons of damaging things that happen inside our bodies when we take antibiotics. Hence in a severe case of bacterial infection, antibiotics are wonderful. IN all other cases it is completely wrong and irresponsible to take antibiotics.

WC is not really a deadly disease (as I understand it) unless you are already immunocompromised or if you are an infant.

Your DD is healthy? YOur baby is not born yet? I don't see any problem at all.

Good Luck

[Bokonon]

I don't really have any advice, but think it's so interesting how this "outbreak" is being handled in CA.

In the last 2 months, my 18mo has had croup, RSV, and a bad cold, all of which she was seen at the doctor's for. She had 2 doses of DTaP, the most recent in July. She has never been tested for pertussis, which I don't really understand. When I told the doc that my son (5) had a lingering cough when I brought DD in for croup, he said that if he was still coughing the following week, to bring him in, because "pertussis is going around".

Huh? So, keep sending him to school while he's coughing, even though WC is a possibility?

He recovered fine, but he's had all the recommended DTaP doses. Who knows if he's had WC when I thought it was a cold?

[Mamatoto2]

I'm linking you to this thread that I started last year when I was 7 mos pregnant and there was WC in my DD's class.

Wishing you the best.