Children’s ailments can cause parents a lot of worrisome ; measles especially as it can also have side effects, extremely nasty ones.
Measles is also know as rubella and it is caused by a virus which is highly contagious, it is very likely that anyone who comes into contact with the infected child or person will invariable fall victim unless they have already had the infection and are immune.
Symptoms of Measles
The first symptoms of measles may not be immediately recognizable, the child may seem generally unwell and irritable for five or six days before the rash makes its appearance.
He or she will lie about with no energy and they will often cry at the slightest upset.
High fever is the main sign of measles around 40 C, or 104 F.
A nasty rash will appear, this is when you finally realize the cause of your child’s recent lack of energy and irritability usually after 3 to 5 days.
The rash can produce swelling which affects the eyes and causes them to close, this is why many people believe the patient should be kept in a slightly darkened room to save strain on the eyes.
Runny nose, cough, diarrhea, fever, weakness and rashes are the main symptoms of measles.
The patients cough and runny nose is the main cause of the disease spreading; it is an airborne virus and it can affect everyone in the home.
Doctor sends the patient for some diagnostic tests to make sure about the existence of measles virus.
Infection Period of Measles
The infectious period of measles is from the appearance of the rash and up to four or five days afterwards.
To sooth the rash that may cause irritation and discomfort for the child a lotion like calamine (or chamomile) can ease this.
Parents should make sure to bath the child few times a day with the calming soothing bath lotions.
Your child can look extremely ill and it is a worrying time for any parent.
It is advisable to allow your child to be immunized against measles this is called MMR vaccine and is given at around eighteen months of age.
Dangerous Side of Measles
Although measles are very uncomfortable and difficult on children, the amount of fatal is very minimum around one out of every three hundreds cases.
There is a small chance of bronchitis , hearing loss or brain damage as a result of infection but it’s very minimum around 6 to 7 percent.
During pregnancy measles can cause a miscarriage or a baby with very low weight born.
Duration of Measles
Usually almost two weeks before the first rashes appears the child doesn’t feel good and feels down, with no appetite, mild fever and weakness.
Then 3 to 5 days duration of the rashes and high fever and infection.
In total about one month is the whole process of measles.
How Contagious Measles are?
Measles is very contagious and the child should not be around other children or any adults who’s not vaccine or didn’t catch the disease before to get the immunization.
Child should not be in contact with anyone or go to daycare a week before the explosion of the rashes as well as a week after the rashes started.
The parents should contact the doctor, because in many cases before 72 hours of exposure of measles the doctor can still give the vaccine and that may prevent the severity of measles.
Treatments For Measles
In general there is no specific treatment but the bed rest, liquid meals such as soup, soothing bath few times a day and good amount of fluids helps a lot.
Make sure to give proper medication to control the fever.
However, make sure to see the doctor and follow the doctor’s order and medication treatment.
This is just a section about me.
Although as a child I was in close contact with my brothers and sisters who each had every childish ailment at various times also with my own children, I never contracted any of the ailments myself.
