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I was just wondering if someone could tell me the difference between whooping cough and bronchitis. we are having an outbreak of whooping cough in our area and my entire family is getting this nasty cough that seems to last for over 3 weeks.
signed, EXAHAUSTED !!!!!! :yawn:

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I was just wondering if someone could tell me the difference between whooping cough and bronchitis. we are having an outbreak of whooping cough in our area and my entire family is getting this nasty cough that seems to last for over 3 weeks.
signed, EXAHAUSTED !!!!!! :yawn:
I am right there with you!! I just posted on the childrens health board about a cough!! Whooping cough is going around here too! If you susupect it I would get them in ASAP. It has a whoop sound very dry and loud. Bronchitus is also a long cough. It's hard to distinquish until the Dr. hears the cough. My kids got croup two years ago and I was on the brink!!! They can also put them on Orapred which is a steroid as well as antibiotics for whooping cough or bronchitus. Have your children had all their immunizations?
My kids have a productive cough that is going on 3 weeks.
My poor 5 year old has so much mucus and can't cough it up! I have had her to the Dr and I think it's viral as the Zithromax he put her on didn't do a thing?
You get to where you can't stand to hear coughing I know!
It's always a tough call to go to the Dr.'s too!!! If it's viral and they can't do anything what else will they pick up when we are there?
If you suspect whooping cough or bronchitus I would go in as it is treatable.
Good Luck, you're not along ((hugs)) :wave:

We had a whooping cough epidemic in our area and part of the problem was that the doctors weren't familiar with the symptoms since vaccinations had just about erradicated the problem. Wasn't until an older doctor who was familar with it correctly diagnosed it that they started TESTING for it. It's a bacterial infection and they do prescribe zpaks for people who are in close contact with the person. DS's entire day care center was put on antibiotics because a child had it.

It's my understanding it starts with cold symptoms, then a dry cough, then a nasty productive cough that can be so bad that the person vomits.

As I am waiting back for a Dr. to call for day two I am doing my own research with my many books at home.
On Whooping cough it says these are things to look for.
Whooping cough also known as Pertusis: Cold Symptoms with Dry cough, low grade fever and irritability Stage one
Stage two Coughing in explosive burst with no breaths between, thick mucus expelled
Often: Bulging eyes and protruding tongue: pale or reddned skin, vomiting, sweating and exhaustion.
Duration 6 weeks, but can last longer.
Gosh, this sounds like what I had and they called it walking phenmonia?
Prevention Immunization with pertussis vaccine also called
DTP or DTaP.
Hope this helps and I pray this isn't what it is?

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I was just wondering if someone could tell me the difference between whooping cough and bronchitis. we are having an outbreak of whooping cough in our area and my entire family is getting this nasty cough that seems to last for over 3 weeks.
signed, EXAHAUSTED !!!!!! :yawn:
One more note... I forgot which is important do a search on sound of whooping cough and you can find links that play what is sounds like :wave:

The pertussis vaccine is only given to infants, small children up to the age of 6 in the states. I think in Canada there is an adult vaccine available. But for the most part the vaccine gradually wears off by the time people are in their teens. The epidemic in our area was because of an influx of refugees who were never vaccinated for whooping cough and contracted it, passed it on to their classmates. The way our doctor explained it was that it tends to hit families once someone gets it, so if one person in the house gets it, everyone does.