What is measles and how do you protect your children?

What is measles and how do you protect your children?

With the news that measles outbreaks are spreading after being under control for years thanks to early vaccination. It has become necessary to identify the symptoms of measles and to prevent them well.

Measles is one of the most serious respiratory viral diseases and is therefore easily transmissible. It is one of the most infectious diseases in school-aged children and nurseries, and the symptoms are very similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu, making early diagnosis difficult, especially before the onset of rash, More important in the confirmation of measles infection.

Methods of transmission of the measles virus:

Inhalation of air carrying aerosols from the carrier of the virus.

The presence of the virus on one of the surfaces and to the touch, then touch the mouth or nose or eyes after leaving the infected person.

Mix with an infected person in the same place increases the risk of infection because it is mainly a respiratory infection.

However, after an infection with the virus, the body develops its immunity against the virus, which protects it almost completely from reinfection.

Symptoms of measles in children:

Fever up to 40 degrees Celsius.

Dry cough.

Runny nose.

inflammation of the throat.

Ophthalmia.

Eruption.

The rashes appear as large spots on the face and then on the neck, then spread quickly on the arms and back, then on the thighs, feet, legs and the whole body, then begin to disappear at the end. of a few days. The disease lasts two to three days, 10 to 14 days before the onset of symptoms and can transmit the virus to the surrounding area for 8 days, 4 days before the onset of rash and 4 days after onset.

Treatment of measles in children:

Rest and complete normal activities.

Isolation to prevent the spread of infection.

Drink a lot of liquids.

Avoid foods containing sugars, salty or hot foods.

Take the medications that your doctor may prescribe depending on the nature of each case.

It is essential not to administer pain medication to the child without a doctor, in order to protect him / her against any side effects that may occur during the measles period.

When should you see your doctor?

If you notice these symptoms in your child, you should immediately consult your doctor to confirm the injury and take the necessary treatment. The doctor diagnoses it by examining a rash and noting the rest of the obvious symptoms in the child.

Measles prevention methods:

Vaccination against measles occurs at 12 to 15 months and 4 to 6 years, which protects a large part of the virus. Even in case of infection, it protects against the severity of symptoms and greatly reduces their severity.

Talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated early if you are traveling abroad before your child's age and make sure your child gets it before school.

Keep it away from anyone who is HIV-positive and avoid being in a place where an infected person is at least two hours after leaving.

Stop the normal activities of the victim for 4 days in case of confirmation of the infection, so as not to transmit the infection to other people.

If you are pregnant and your child has measles, you should be careful not to have a lot of health problems.