Nickster
22-06-2006, 08:45
I can't believe it. She's immunised, and yet she still has a mild case of whooping cough.
It started a few weeks ago, with what I believed to be a typical cold, with a runny nose and a mild fever, and a little cough at night. Nothing to worry about, you would think, just give her some dimetapp/panadol/Brauer's and keep her warm. But the coughing fit at night persisted and worsened, and she developed one during the day as well.
She was put on a mild antibiotic by a doctor we saw at a "you beaut" medical centre on Sunday, assuming it was just a chesty cough, but only diagnosed with whooping cough by our regular doctor yesterday and given a stronger antibiotic. Oh, and she had to endure a nasal swab at QML. Basically they stick a long tube down your baby's nose to the back of the throat and take a sample of mucus. While you are trying to hold down your screaming, crying baby, who doesn't understand what is going on.
My DH has also got it, only more severely, but he can deal with that. It's just hard seeing your little baby having a coughing fit where she gasps and struggles for air at the end of each cough. I can't imagine what a full-blown case would be like to endure - for the child or the parent.
I know immunisation is only about 80% effective, and we've been unlucky to catch it. And I am deeply embarrassed that I have unknowingly exposed her to the babies of friends (and fellow bubhubbers).
Having seen what she has gone through, and despite the fact that she caught this, and despite the fact that it is a mild case, I am so glad she is immunised. I know my thoughts might be controversial amongst the non-vaccinating parents here, but surely any high-fallutin' principles you have against immunisation would fly out the window seeing your baby in such distress?
So, all my friends out there, keep your fingers crossed that she gets better sooner rather than later.
It started a few weeks ago, with what I believed to be a typical cold, with a runny nose and a mild fever, and a little cough at night. Nothing to worry about, you would think, just give her some dimetapp/panadol/Brauer's and keep her warm. But the coughing fit at night persisted and worsened, and she developed one during the day as well.
She was put on a mild antibiotic by a doctor we saw at a "you beaut" medical centre on Sunday, assuming it was just a chesty cough, but only diagnosed with whooping cough by our regular doctor yesterday and given a stronger antibiotic. Oh, and she had to endure a nasal swab at QML. Basically they stick a long tube down your baby's nose to the back of the throat and take a sample of mucus. While you are trying to hold down your screaming, crying baby, who doesn't understand what is going on.
My DH has also got it, only more severely, but he can deal with that. It's just hard seeing your little baby having a coughing fit where she gasps and struggles for air at the end of each cough. I can't imagine what a full-blown case would be like to endure - for the child or the parent.
I know immunisation is only about 80% effective, and we've been unlucky to catch it. And I am deeply embarrassed that I have unknowingly exposed her to the babies of friends (and fellow bubhubbers).
Having seen what she has gone through, and despite the fact that she caught this, and despite the fact that it is a mild case, I am so glad she is immunised. I know my thoughts might be controversial amongst the non-vaccinating parents here, but surely any high-fallutin' principles you have against immunisation would fly out the window seeing your baby in such distress?
So, all my friends out there, keep your fingers crossed that she gets better sooner rather than later.