Let's Do Lunch Community

Hi Everyone!  I don't post very much, but now I have to ask a hugh favor...would everyone pray for my great niece  Natalie Claire just barely three months old, please.   She is in the hospital with whooping cough!   Of all things that could have been prevented,  people need  to get vaccinated.
Now her whole family has to take the medicine since they have been exposed.  Thank you so very much.  JJ

Prayers going up for little Natalie Claire.  My sister (now 55 yo) had whooping cough before her first birthday, and although very sick, she recovered completely.  Very scary!  Pam

Thank you so much Ms. Heirloom

I am very sorry to hear this, how awful. Prayers are going up.

It is scarry.
Vaccinating is what I do all day in the pediatric clinic.
Babies are not completely protected until they have received all three pertussis vaccines (DtaP).
That is why the push to get adults vaccinated.
We have had a few babies hospitalized here with whooping cough back in the 80's
They recovered fine. It is just a long recovery.
Most viruses run their course in 2 week.
With whooping cough, it is 6 weeks.
I think I had it my first quarter of nursing school.
For adults it is a nasty cough that lasts 6 weeks.
It is usually diagnosed as bronchitis because tesing for whooping cough is expensive.
So hard to see these tiny babies suffering.
"Lord Jesus, heal this baby and restore her to health quickly, and give her family peace and much needed rest."

Thank you Linda and Cameron.  You ladies are such thoughtful people!

Linda,

I had whopping cough when I was a teenager even though I had the DPT shot as a child.  Does this give me lifetime immunity or do I need another vaccination?

VickiLynn,
Unfortunately, having the disease is no guarantee of lifetime immunity, although having the disease provides better protection than the vaccine.
The new recommendation is for every adult due for a tetanus booster will get the pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine combined.
For now the recommendation is one pertussis booster in your lifetime (tetanus needs booster every 10 years), however we anticipate that in the next few years, the TdaP will be boosted every ten years.
Not knowing if they actually sent off a viral culture from the nasopharnx swab, you will not know for sure if you really did have pertussis.
Like I said, I believe I had it in nursing school because I had a horrible cough for 6 weeks that no medication they threw at it could control.
They did not test because I was not doing any clinicals and for healthy adults it is a nusance. For infants it has been fatal.
We have better methods of controlling coughs now in infants with nebulizers and even antivirals.
They would cough so hard and uncontrollably their brains would swell.
Without knowing for sure, I would guess that deaths from whooping cough in the recent years are due to not being able to have advanced medical intervention or delaying treatment.
Treatment is supportive care until their immune system can shake it off.

FYI: TdaP stands for Tetanus, Diptheria and Acellular Pertussis.
If you are old enough to remember, most kids had high fevers and sore legs or arms form the DPT vaccine. Some even had seizures.
Therefore they found a better way to develop the vaccine (outside the cell....don't ask, I am not a biologist or chemist, LOL), so that the reaction is not as severe.
Most kids are not sick with DtaP as they were with DPT.

jjelli, I am praying for little Natalie.  Whooping cough is sooo nasty and scary.    JF

Linda,

Thanks for the information.  I am up-to-date on my tetanus shots but don't know if it was combined with the pertussis vaccine.  I will ask my doctor on my next visit.

Praying for little Natalie. Char

Thank you everyone for the prayers and the information RN.  Glad to announce Natalie went home yesterday!!!! She is on the mend.  I'm sure going to check with my dr also and get the shot!  jj

What wonderful news!

I am very glad to hear it!  Thank you for updating us.

Praise the Lord! 
So happy to hear answered prayers!

jjelli, I am so sorry that I am just now seeing this post! But, I am so very happy that Natalie Claire is home! I hope she is continuing to gain strength!

Hi! Thank you and thank you everyone....She is finally on the mend.  They did have to go back into the hospital the day after they got home.  Very scary time for them.  And so glad she is ok now.  jj