Are we giving emotion support and taking care of our children to keep them happy, healthy and disease free. We must be aware of diseases, which generally affect children. Measles is one of the diseases; it never spares a newborn child from affecting it. So why not know about measles and its prevention, so we can take care of our children, the budding flowers and the future of nations.
What is Measles?
Measles is a disease generally affects children and can occur in other age groups. Measles is a viral infection of respiratory system with distinct red spots followed by a rash in skin; occurs primarily in children. Measles is a highly communicable or contagious disease, which is characterized by general malaise, fever, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, sneezing, a brassy cough, and eruption in the entire body.
Types of Measles
There are two types of measles, they are German measles or rubella, which forms rashes on the skin and it last about three days and rubeola or regular measles, is the second type that last about seven days. Roseola is another infectious disease prevalent among children Roseola forms rashes and which comes and goes in 24 to 48 hours.
Measles Causes
The measles virus is communicable or contagious; the infection can be spread from one person to another. The person having measles sneezes or coughs, releases or expels water droplets, which carry the virus and it can infect anyone who come into contact with them.
Sometime or occasionally air is the medium for the spreading the virus.
Symptoms and signs
usually start from eight to twelve days after getting exposure to the virus. Then the rash appears in the skin after fourteen days of exposure. person can spread the disease within one to days before any symptoms appear. It is continued to be contagious three to five days before appearance of the rash and four to five days after the rash starts.
When to need medical Care
Generally, immediate emergency is not required for the measles. But the affected patient should be taken to the doctor to evaluate any general malaise, fever, nasal congestion, conjunctivitis, sneezing, a brassy cough, which accompany rash in children.
Exams and Tests
The doctor may diagnose by taking physical exam and studying the history of measles patient.
In doubtful cases, the doctor may have particular specialized blood test to diagnose properly.
Self-Care at Home
There is no proper cure for measles; But one can take necessary steps at home to make total course of disease more adjustable and tolerable.
- Giving sufficient bed rest to the child so he feels more comfortable.
- If the child has fever higher than 100.5°F, then the child should be given sponge bath with lukewarm water to upper body and the face.
- Plenty of liquid should be given to drink to avoid dehydration.
- Cough medicines to be given as approved for children, this can help in control the cough.
- A vaporizer or humidifier can be used to ease the cough.
- Pain reliever and medicine for fever to be given to children such as Children's Motrin, Ibuprin, Pediaprofen and Children's Advil according to the symptoms. One has to be very careful giving medicines to children because if aspirin is given to a child then he may have Reye syndrome that is another disease.
- Benadryl or Calamine lotion should be applied on the effected parts to ease the itch occur due to the rash.
- Child fingernails should be trimmed or to be put inside the gloves to avoid scratching the rash excessively and which can hurt more.
Extra steps to be followed up
Few rare complications may be experienced in children having weak immune system during the course of measles attack then a doctor to be consulted immediately.
Prevention and summary
Vaccination and immunization has minimized the disease to great extend.
Medically, initial measles immunization is done to the children from age 12- 15 months.
The second immunization is done to the children enter to school or middle school level.
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