Apparently, someone in the school was been diagnosed with Whooping Cough. People blow that off like it’s not a big deal but Whooping Cough is a very, very serious respiratory infection. It’s making a comeback because people aren’t vaccinating their kids. That’s a whole other post in and of itself.
I called the school on the way home to figure out what was going on and because I hadn’t seen the paper that was sent home.
There were questions I needed answers to in order to judge what the risk factors were and how much exposure my kids had.
The school is respecting the privacy of the kid, which is understandable but I have a child at home with a severely compromised immune system and I need to know as much as I can.
It turns out that the kid is in Emmett’s class and Emmett has had direct exposure, for I don’t know how long. Whooping Cough was confirmed Thursday afternoon, from what I understand.
We don’t know much more than that and it’s very frustrating.
Emmett thinks he knows who it is and that person has been absent on and off but was at school on Wednesday but out again on Thursday. The incubation period is typically 7-10 days but can be 4-21 days.
Whooping Cough is extremely contagious and it’s most contagious during the two week period of time after the cough begins. This kid may have been coughing and no one thought it was anything to worry about. They would have no reason to think it was anything more than a cough.
There’s no way to know how contagious this kid was at school but Emmett has been complaining of not feeling well the last few days. Nothing major but mild cold like symptoms. Things like runny nose and occasional cough.
That could mean nothing more than the common cold but it’s also how Whooping Cough starts off before getting much worse.
I’ve got calls into the pediatrician and Gavin’s immunologist. I should hear back in the morning.
If the kid at school had whooping cough then you are looking at where emmett got it from.
Parents should realise that forcing sick kids to go to school is selfish and is deemed a occupational health and safety issue.
Oh geez. I’m sorry Rob, I know that is worrisome. If you have any questions call and talk to the nurses at the health department. Your children are vaccinated, yes? Should be ok except for Gavin and his lousy immune system but because everyone else is vaccinated in the house that should protect Gavin. The protocol is that in an outbreak students that are unvaccinated are prohibited from attending school. And an outbreak is generally 2 students from different households.
I don’t usually make comments regarding other peoples decisions, but Rob, you seem to be putting the cart way before the horse. Unless Emmett is sick why would you cancel his eye appointment when he is obviously suffering and needs to have new glasses asap. In a previous post, you guys were just out shopping the other night buying the boys clothes, thus meaning that if Emmett has whooping cough then all the people in the store he came into contact with are at risk. We are all out in public on a daily basis (including Gavin), exposed to the public and germs and sicknesses they carry. If Gavin’s immune system is that compromised then why expose him to the public? Sorry, but I think you’re adding stress onto your already stressed out life and making this a huge burden on yourself. Step back, take a deep breath and be optimistic, because the chances of Emmett or anyone else in your family getting whooping cough is extremely minimal, especially as you were all vaccinated.
I would not chancel his appointment you don’t KNOW he has it at all and it would take forever to replace the appointment. I would just be extra clean, bringing wipes everywhere to make sure.
My God, that truly IS a situation. I wish I had some wisdom to share. I don’t. All I can offer i… https://t.co/MZg3496Tp3