whooping cough risk

[flowerpot21]

hi all
i half saw a news story earlier on a possible whooping cough outbreak - i think it was in sydney but i'm not sure. i think the advice they were giving was calling on parents to get their bubs vaccinated against it. i know there are lots of people who choose not to vaccinate due to all the side-effects, chemicals involved and a whole heap of other reasons, and i just wondered what will the non-vaxers do?

[sam's mum]

they said a maternity nurse had been diagnosed with whooping cough, and might have passed it on to a lot of the bubbas. :(

[the_queen]

I'm not in Sydney - but pertussis tends to go around, every 4-ish years there's an outbreak. If vaccination works, the child isn't fully protected until the age of 4 years old anyway. And the pertussis vaccination isn't 100% effective.
To answer your question, I would do the exact same thing I do every day anyway - boost my children's immune system naturally with healthy food and vitamins. I'd be careful of being around lots of children - ie with my 3 month old, I'd probably give playgroup a miss for a few weeks, and I wouldn't let all DD's schoolfriends come up and give him a kiss. If there was any kind of cold/flu like symptom, I would take both kids straight away to my wonderful naturopathic GP, who would give me instructions on herbal and homeopathic remedies to give to them. I'd pray, and I'd hope for the best. :)

[FourAngelKisses]

My dad (55) contracted whooping cough last year. It is dreadful, he was coughing non-stop for about 7mths and he was so tired and run down from it. I wouldn't like to see what it does to a baby or child if that is what it does to a healthy active adult.

[annsam]

I had whooping cough as a young baby and I was vaccinated and ended up very sick. My lungs have been weak all my life.

My DH contracted whooping cough 2 years ago and had no idea as he didn't even have a cough, it was a routine blood test for immigration that showed he had it.

DS was checked for whooping cough a couple of months back when he had a virus and he is vaccinated so at least the GPs are catching on to the fact that the vax isnt' 100% fool proof and still checking. Thats got to be a plus.