Childhood Diseases – On a Mission to Educate: Measles

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My last article was on Fifth Disease, also known as “slapped cheek,” because of the red rash it causes on the face. This rash is a primary symptom of this disease. Eventually this rash spreads down to the trunk, arm and legs. The cause of Fifth is the Human Parvovirus B19 and it is spread person to person. Today, I will move to another contagious disease which I am sure you all know, Measles.

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What Is Measles?

Measles is also known as Rubeola, which is a very contagious respiratory infection that is caused by a virus. In general, it is known to cause skin rash throughout the whole body and has symptoms similar to the flu, causing fever, cough and a runny nose. It is generally rare in the United States because of a push to vaccinate children but recently there have been more and more outbreaks throughout the US due to unvaccinated students. Overall though there are about 20 million cases that happen throughout the world every year.

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Did you know that live measles virus can live on a surface for several hours? Someone who is sick with the measles can easily infect others by spreading infected particles by touching, talking, sneezing and coughing. These particles can enter the air space and land in different areas, staying alive for quite a while.

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According to Healthline (https://www.healthline.com/health/measles#overview1) Measles is the leading cause of death in children. “Of the 114,900 global deaths related to measles in 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that most of the victims were under the age of 5.”

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What Causes Measles?

Measles is caused by a type of virus called a Paramyxovirus. This virus replicates in the nose and throat of an infected individual. So as we said earlier, when that individual coughs, sneezes or talks, his/her infected droplets spray into the air and thereby infecting those who inhale them. And another reminder, these infected particles can stay alive for hours.

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What Are the Symptoms of Measles?

According to Stanford Children’s Health (http://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=rubeola-measles-90-P02543) it can take 7–14 days for a child to actually show signs of Rubeola/Measles. They emphasized that a child can be contagious four days before the onset of symptoms and four days after the rash develops. So in many cases, parents often don’t know that their child is sick until these symptoms show up.

During the initial phase of Measles which lasts about 1 – 4 days, the symptoms usually seem like an upper respiratory infection. Stanford Children’s Health gives the following common symptoms but stresses that each child will experience these symptoms differently:

Runny nose

Hacking cough

Conjunctivitis (pink eye)

Fever

Small spots with white centers (Koplik's spots) appear on the inside of the cheek (usually occur two or three days after symptoms begin )

Rash. Deep, red, flat rash that starts on the face and spreads down to the trunk, arms, legs and feet. The rash starts as small distinct lesions, which then combines as one big rash. After three to seven days, the rash will begin to clear leaving a brownish discoloration and peeling skin.

Severe diarrhea

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What Complications Are There With Measles?

According to Stanford Children’s Health the most serious complications from rubeola include the following:

Ear infections

Pneumonia

Croup

Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain)

Blindness

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How Is Measles Diagnosed?

The doctor can usually confirm measles by examining the skin rash and checking for the symptoms that are usually presented by measles in the infected individuals. The doctor may look for the white spots usually found in the mouth & check for fever, cough and a sore throat. If he/she is unable to confirm a diagnosis based on the observation and exam, he/she can have a blood test done to check for the measles virus.

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How To Treat Measles

According to Healthline there is no prescribed medication to treat measles. Because it is a virus, you generally have to wait it out. The virus & symptoms usually disappear within two to three weeks. Here are some things the doctor may recommend:

Acetaminophen to relieve fever and muscle aches

Rest to help boost your immune system

Plenty of fluids (six to eight glasses of water a day)

Humidifier to ease a cough and sore throat

Vitamin A supplements

Remember!!! You should never give aspirin to a child who has a viral illness. There has been a correlation with the development of Reye Syndrome using aspirin with viral illnesses!

Another fact to keep in mind is that in developing countries, Vitamin A has been useful in decreasing complications and death associated with the measles.

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When Is It Important To Call the Doctor?

According to Kidshealth (http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/measles.html#) you should contact the doctor if your child gets the measles & is in any of the following situations:

Is an infant

Is taking medicines that suppress the immune system

Has tuberculosis, cancer, or a disease that affects the immune system

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Prevention Of the Measles?

Kidshealth stated that the most important thing you can do to protect your children from getting the measles is to have them vaccinated according to the Immunization Schedule prescribed by the child’s doctor. Older kids are usually immunized according to state and school health regulations. Infants are usually protected from measles during the first 6 months from birth due to immunity passed on by the mother.

Kidshealth did go on to say that there are some side effects of the measles vaccine, the most common reaction is a fever 6–12 days after the shot. This is about 15% of the children inoculated. About 5% of the children may get a rash which is not contagious and eventually fades.

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The measles vaccine should not be given to these at-risk groups:

Pregnant women

Kids with untreated tuberculosis, leukemia, or other cancers

People whose immune systems are weakened for any reason

Kids who have a history of severe allergic reaction to gelatin or to the antibiotic neomycin, as they could have serious reactions to the vaccine

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Is Measles Making a Comeback In the USA?

There was a very recent article in the Huffingtonpost (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/why-is-measles-making-an-unpleasant-comeback_us_595bbddfe4b0326c0a8d1333) called ”Why Is Measles Making An Unpleasant Comeback?” This was written on July 5, 2017. It stated that, “Measles, once eradicated in the US, is making a comeback.” They said that Minnesota was experiencing the state’s worst measles outbreak in decades as there have been over 70 cases of measles there. This number exceeded the total number of cases reported in the entire US last year!

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The story went on to say how ironic it was that, ”richer nations are struggling with measles outbreaks, while Bhutan and the Maldives have completely eliminated measles, becoming the first countries in their region to stop the highly contagious disease." Both countries launched immunization programs around 40 years ago with a strategy of mass vaccination of high-risk populations. Unfortunately because the vaccines have been so successful that today's parents don’t know how bad the measles can be and some don’t think it exists anymore. Many parents are more afraid of the vaccines than the diseases they prevent.

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The article gave an example of what happened in Romania when people did not vaccinate their children. Between 2016 to June 2017, there were 30 deaths due to measles in all of Romania. It went on to say that all these deaths could have been prevented with vaccinations.

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Is Measles Dangerous For Pregnant Women?

According to the Babies R Us(https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/pregnancy-health/complications/measles.aspx) most women of childbearing age either have had or have been immunized against measles. Even if you haven’t had either, if you happen to come in contact with someone with measles you may get a fever, runny nose, hacking cough and red eyes, but fortunately measles, unlike German Measles, does not appear to cause birth defects in the baby. There sometimes is the possibility of a miscarriage or premature labor so the article highly suggests that prior to conceiving, you should get a blood test to see if you are immune to measles and then decide whether or not to get an immune globulin shot to prevent measles while pregnant.

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So in summary, Measles is a very contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It can cause rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Because it is a virus, one generally has to let it run its course because there is no medication to treat it. To prevent from getting measles, many parents have their children vaccinated while others do not want their children to have it. This article is not recommending either way. I just want parents to be informed about measles, its complications and symptoms and the prognosis so that they will know what to do in the event of a measles infection. I do believe knowledge and education are extremely important for the well-being of our children.

I hope you learned something from this article about Measles. There are many resources on the internet if you need more specific information. I will continue this series with another childhood disease post. I hope you will continue to join me in this quest to learn about these illnesses that children usually encounter when they are young. Thank-you for reading my article on Childhood Diseases – On a Mission to Educate: Measles. If you would like to follow me, please check HERE