HELP!!!!!!

Sorry this is long but.......Jeremiah has been sick with his first cold for 2 weeks now. It started off like a normal cold, then a little over a week ago he developed a cough. He has tons of mucus in his chest, and thankfully, when he coughs he does get some of it up. But he ends up choking most of the time and sometimes I have to reach in his mouth and pull the mucus out or get far back enough in his mouth to make him take a deep breath. His lips have turned blue a couple of times because he couldn't breathe. (but eventually does! Needless to say, it's of course worse at night. (we are not getting much sleep these days!) He has been to the doc 4 times in 2 weeks and they can't figure it out I guess. They say he is so healthy (other than the cold), no fever, just some congestion, and that's all. He just had his first and his last immunization for whooping cough on the 17th. My doc said that there are no side effects and it won't make his cough worse. (He did start coughing a couple of days before the shot, but it just hasn't gotten that much better in a week)
He still plays, takes his naps (but is usually interrupted by a cough or two), is very alert and happy, and even says mama (when he is hungry...too cute!) and says dada ALL the time. (He is only 6 months!!)
Anyway, I am just concerned and hope he doesn't now have whooping cough. They took a culture and I should get the results in a few days. Because he just got the shot, won't it show up in the culture??? I'm confused. I have some natural remedies to help him, but it just seems like nothing is working!! I use a chest rub, vicks, humidifier, robitussin, saline spray....it seems to have no affect. Any ideas??? Anyone else go through this? I just feel so bad for my lil guy!!     =(      I'm so tired and stressed out and I just want him better. *sigh*

[AnnieBrooke]

My son's first cold had such a horrible wheezing cough that I was concerned it was whooping cough and even had it cultured.  It wasn't.  Try not to worry.  

[Fourpaws]

I feel for you! My daughter has had a bad cold too. We've been on the couch sleeping because when she lays flat it gets sooo bad. I have her sleeping on her boppy so her head is a little elevated. It sounds like your doing everything you can. Just try to hang in there~ It will go away eventually. This is the second time Ava has gotten sick since she was born. The first time I was a nervous stressed out maniac!! I was barely sleeping and checking on her constanly to make sure she was breathing. I am sure your test will come back fine.

[mami1323]

Do NOT use robitussin.  Is that for cough?  Because your son is way too young for cough remedies.  It's actually dangerous.  I'm not sure about the robitussin but I would stick with regular tylenol or motrin.

[chantal21]

Thanks ladies! It's funny, Jeremiah has always slept on his belly and now that he is sick, he only wants to be on his back and on a pillow. I guess it's easier to breathe that way for him. He also wants to sleep on me a lot now too...he hasn't done that for a couple of months now. Today he a little bit better....we slept in again...=) he seems to sleep better late in the morning.

Mami....My doc, who only likes to prescribe natural remedies, told me to give him some to break up the mucus..just reg. robitussin and only like a 1/4 of a tsp. He only recommended it because he is a big boy and his cough is pretty bad. I have only given it to him 4 times in 3 days. It's probably not even doing much! I am just going to wait it out...I hope he doesn't have a weak immune system like me. ugh!  I'll keep you all posted on the whooping cough...but I am pretty certain he doesn't have that. we will see!

[mami1323]

Oh ok, I wasn't sure.  I know any type of cough medicine is not good.  I hope it's not whooping cough.  I will keep my fingers crossed and hope Jeremiah feels better.  Hugs.

[chantal21]

Thanks!! I should have the results back early next week. I don't know much about vaccines...but do you think because he just had the shot for it,  a trace of the virus could possibly show up and not give an accurate result?

[mami1323]

Andi probably knows this question but I don't think there are any live cultures in these vaccines.  I think he probably just caught it from some where.  Maybe another kid, maybe from some where you went he touched something and put his hand in his mouth.  That is more likely.

[chantal21]

ok. I will ask Andi....My doc said there are no live cultures in the vaccine...but then a couple of other people said it is a live culture....so confusing! I trust my doc...I don't think he would lie to me.