Measles: symptoms and treatment

Measles is a viral infectious disease that primarily affects infants and children. Here you can find out what symptoms can be associated with measles, how you can treat and prevent measles in your child.

In this article

detect measles

Measles, also known as Morbilli, is a highly contagious viral infection caused by the so-called paramyxovirus. Measles are found worldwide and tend to affect infants and children most often. But adults can also contract measles, even if they didn’t have it in their childhood. Measles is characterized by flu-like symptoms followed by a red rash. Note: Measles is a childhood disease that should not be underestimated. Since they can be associated with additional bacterial infections, they are anything but harmless.

Transmission routes of measles

Measles is very contagious and often occurs in community facilities such as kindergartens or schools due to the high risk of infection. They are transmitted via the so-called droplet infection. This means that viruses, packed in the smallest droplets of saliva, get into the air when you speak, cough or sneeze and from there directly via the respiratory tract to the mucous membranes in the mouth, nose and throat.

The period between infection and the onset of the disease, i.e. the incubation period, is around nine to twelve days for measles. However, the affected person is contagious four to five days before the actual onset of the disease. That is, without even knowing that they carry the measles virus, the person is already capable of infecting other people with it. However, once you have had measles, you are immune to the disease for life.

symptoms of measles

The following symptoms are typical of measles:

  • Strong cough and runny nose
  • High fever that may come back after a brief improvement
  • Conjunctivitis with red, watery, light-sensitive eyes
  • small white spots on the lining of the mouth called Koplik spots
  • Red, blotchy rash

course of measles

Initially, the typical symptoms of a cold, including fever, appear. In addition, the eyes are very red and watery, which raises the suspicion of measles early on, even if no rash is visible. The eyes react very sensitively, normal daylight is perceived as very painful.

A day or two after these first signs, small white spots with a red edge appear on the oral mucosa in the area of ​​the lower molars. After a brief drop, the fever rises again (above 39°C) three to four days after the onset of the illness.

At the same time, a rash appears behind the ears, which gradually spreads over the entire body. The rash is initially characterized by small, bright red spots that gradually merge into larger red areas and turn dark red to blue-red in color. This is the peak of the disease. The child usually has a strong cough and feels very ill and weak. Improvement occurs when the fever goes down after another three to four days and the rash fades. The illness is usually over after about 14 days.

Comorbidities of measles

In most cases, measles pass without problems. However, more serious secondary diseases can also occur. Since the immune system is very weakened by the measles, bacterial infections often have an easy time. Ear pain is a sign of a middle ear infection. A strong cough, with shortness of breath or even shortness of breath, can mean that pneumonia has developed. Severe headaches and drowsiness can indicate meningitis.

treat measles

Measles: when to see a doctor?

In order to rule out possible secondary diseases, you should definitely contact a doctor or a clinic if your child shows typical symptoms of measles. It is best to do this by telephone to avoid that, should your child really have measles, other patients are at risk due to the high risk of infection.

Doctors can usually first identify measles by the characteristic Koplik spots, which are small white spots on the oral mucosa. They are characteristic of measles and distinguish them from other childhood diseases such as scarlet fever or rubella. A blood test is usually used to diagnose it. If the responsible paramyxoviruses can be microscopically detected in your child’s blood count, it has measles.

As far as treatment is concerned, there is still no specific drug against measles. The doctor can only relieve your child’s symptoms. If the disease progresses without complications, the doctor can prescribe an antipyretic, such as a suppository, for the fever, and eye drops for conjunctivitis. If there are any additional bacterial infections, he will most likely prescribe an antibiotic for your child.

Measles: what can you do?

  • Bed rest: If your child has measles, their immune system is quite weak. Therefore, your child should stay in bed as much as possible. Sleep promotes the recovery process. Stress and hectic, on the other hand, are anything but beneficial in such a situation. If your child doesn’t want to keep him from sleeping because he can’t or doesn’t want to sleep, then at least make sure that his day runs as quietly as possible.
  • Drink a lot: Since body fluid is lost through sweating, which is directly associated with fever, it is important to compensate for this loss by drinking a lot. This is especially important for babies and children. Their fluid balance is not yet as stable as that of adults. In addition, the mucous membranes are moistened and thus calmed by sufficient fluid intake. Water, juice, unsweetened tea or chicken broth are particularly suitable for children with measles.
  • Darkened room: Since the measles virus often causes conjunctivitis, your child may be sensitive to light. It is therefore advisable to darken the children’s room and to avoid watching television during the illness.
  • Humidity: Measles bring flu-like symptoms. Inflammation of the pharynx is therefore also possible. In order to soothe your child’s mucous membranes and not to strain them unnecessarily, you should ensure that the humidity in the children’s room is sufficiently high. You can help the whole thing by airing the room regularly and placing damp cloths on the radiator.
  • Damp towel: The flu-like symptoms are followed by a red skin rash, which is typical of the course of the disease and may be accompanied by itching. A damp and cool towel that you can put on your child’s rash can provide relief from such itching for quite some time.
  • Inform kindergarten or school: Since measles spreads quickly due to its high risk of infection, especially in community facilities, if your child has measles, you should not hesitate to call your child’s kindergarten or school and inform them about it. In this way, further possible infections can possibly be averted.

Home remedies for measles

To alleviate symptoms such as fever or cough associated with measles, you can also use one of numerous home remedies. These have proven themselves over generations and can provide your child with a mild and gentle remedy.

Measles: what to do against fever?

  • Calf wrap: The calf wrap is one of the heat-dissipating measures for fever. Because damp cloths are placed around your child’s calves during this application, the calf wrap has a cooling and refreshing effect. Find out more about the calf wrap and how to use it correctly on your child.
  • Vinegar socks: In principle, just a modified form of the wrap are the vinegar socks or vinegar slippers. They have a heat-dissipating effect and can cool your child down if they have a fever. For this application, mix five tablespoons of vinegar essence with one liter of water as a first step. Then dip your child’s pair of cotton socks into this mixture. Wring out the socks and put them on your child. Then you put another dry pair of socks on him. The application continues until the inner socks, i.e. the actual vinegar socks, are dry again.

Measles: what to do against cough?

  • Chicken Soup: Homemade chicken soup is rich in zinc and iron, ingredients that may help your child with a cough. Chicken soup not only moisturizes your child’s mucous membranes, it also has a disinfecting effect, which means it successfully reduces swelling and inflammation in the throat. Find out here how you can easily prepare your own chicken soup.
  • Cough syrup: The classic among home remedies for coughs is probably the cough syrup. Of course, cough syrups are available in every pharmacy. However, it does not require many ingredients and no special skill to make a cough syrup yourself. The homemade cough syrups are usually in no way inferior to those bought. Because they also cause mucus in your child’s airways to loosen and be easily coughed up. They can also ensure that your child’s bronchial tubes calm down and coughing attacks are alleviated or even prevented. Find recipes for some homemade cough syrups here.
  • Inhale:Using a steam inhalation, your child’s bronchial tubes can be freed from stubborn and tough mucus. In principle, you can inhale with a plastic inhaler, which you can get in any pharmacy, or with a bowl and a towel. During the procedure, make sure that the water is not too hot, otherwise there is a risk of burns for your child. The application should also only be carried out under the supervision of an adult, as the application could put a heavy strain on your child’s circulation. In addition, essential oils should only be used after consulting a doctor, as they can cause shortness of breath in children. For the inhalation, first boil 1.5 to 2 liters of water and let it cool down. You can now inhale with a saline solution. Simply add two tablespoons of salt to the water. However, herbal additives such as thyme, chamomile or sage are also possible. If you are not inhaling with a plastic inhaler, your child should now hold their head over the bowl with the solution in it and breathe in and out deeply and calmly. Cover his head completely with a towel. In this way, no steam can escape and his mucous membranes can be moistened more intensively. The application can last 10 to 15 minutes. Then make sure that your child’s head is covered with a towel. The strong temperature change can cause circulatory problems. If you are not inhaling with a plastic inhaler, your child should now hold their head over the bowl with the solution in it and breathe in and out deeply and calmly. Cover his head completely with a towel. In this way, no steam can escape and his mucous membranes can be moistened more intensively. The application can last 10 to 15 minutes. Then make sure that your child’s head is covered with a towel. The strong temperature change can cause circulatory problems. If you are not inhaling with a plastic inhaler, your child should now hold their head over the bowl with the solution in it and breathe in and out deeply and calmly. Cover his head completely with a towel. In this way, no steam can escape and his mucous membranes can be moistened more intensively. The application can last 10 to 15 minutes. Then make sure that your child’s head is covered with a towel. The strong temperature change can cause circulatory problems. In this way, no steam can escape and his mucous membranes can be moistened more intensively. The application can last 10 to 15 minutes. Then make sure that your child’s head is covered with a towel. The strong temperature change can cause circulatory problems. In this way, no steam can escape and his mucous membranes can be moistened more intensively. The application can last 10 to 15 minutes. Then make sure that your child’s head is covered with a towel. The strong temperature change can cause circulatory problems.Note: If your child feels dizzy while inhaling, you should stop using it immediately.

prevent measles

The only effective protection against measles is vaccination. Since babies initially still enjoy the immune protection of their mother, the first vaccination against measles is recommended between the 11th and 14th month of life. Only in the case of a mass epidemic does the Standing Vaccination Committee of the Robert Koch Institute (STIKO) recommend vaccination beforehand. A combination vaccine is generally used to protect your child not only from measles, but also from mumps and rubella (so-called  MMR vaccination ).

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