Cold or whooping cough. Please help!

[jewel1288]

I recently cared for a child whom I think may have the whooping cough. I also brought my LO with me to care for this child and a sibling. Both children were very congested, which I was not made aware of prior to caring for them. Upon hearing the child's cough, which sounded exactly like the whooping cough in pertussis commercials, I began googling information to learn more and even youtube searched the whooping cough so I could hear other children with this awful disease. Sure enough, the same sound. I immediately contacted the children's mother, who informed me they both had the vaccine. I still wasn't relieved because I know what I heard and I'm not a paranoid person when it comes to illness, but certainly cautious. I don't vax at all. I also learned just because a child receives the pertussis vax does not mean they're 100% protected from it. I spoke more with the children's mother about it and explained that it sounded a lot like the whooping cough and that I was concerned; she seemed apathetic and wrote off my concerns that their congestions was merely croup-like and the common cold. 

I must note that the older child didn't exhibit any signs of lethargy or weariness, just congestion and the cough. The younger child, however, was more clingy and cuddly than the last time I cared for the children. The young child was also very congested with a runny nose the duration of the day (not surprising with a cold).

Fast forward two days later and my LO has a runny nose and congestion. I EBF so I felt confident that my LO would be protected through me, which has not shown to be the case. 

I'm really concerned that it could be whooping cough. Can she even be tested? If so, how?

I'm beginning to take agrisept to hopefully clean out my system and my LOs. Any other suggestions for how I might nip this hopefully cold-only illness? Also, is their anything I can do for my ten month's old congestion? It's pitiful watching my baby rub away mucus and deal with uncomfortable congestion! Up until now, we haven't dealt with any illnesses. 

Thanks in advance!

P.S. My little one also just cut a tooth. My sis thinks it could simply be the teething causing a runny nose. I didn't think so though. Anyone experience this when their child cut teeth? Up until now, I couldn't even tell my LO was teething and I'm with my baby 24/7 so obviously, it's been a mild discomfort... if any.

[prothyraia]

  With a 10 month old possibly directly exposed to pertussis, I'd be talking to my pediatrician.  That's just too young to mess around with it.  They might not want to do anything at all and just reassure you that everything's fine, they might swab and see if the baby actually has it, but it's definitely worth it to go in and be seen. 

I hope the little one feels better soon!

[jewel1288]

Thanks for the input and info about how they test for whooping cough. I spoke with our homeopathic minded nutritionist, who said it would be really unlikely for it to be pertussis. Even still, I was really nervous. The cold cleared up completely within less than two weeks. Long story short, no whooping cough. Thank goodness!