Mumps: symptoms and treatment

What is mumps?

Mumps, also popularly known as goat peter, is a painful swelling of the parotid glands. Mumps is caused by the so-called paramyxovirus and is highly contagious. In the case of mumps, viruses get into the parotid glands, which open behind the upper molars, through the mouth. As a result, the tissue becomes inflamed, the glands swell and painful pressure develops. Anyone who has contracted mumps is immune for life afterwards. Secondary illnesses only occur in very rare cases. Mumps is therefore one of the classic childhood diseases.

Mumps is widespread worldwide and occurs more often in spring or winter. In general, however, an infection can occur at any time of the year. Children between the ages of four and ten are mostly affected by mumps, with boys getting the disease statistically more often than girls. But adults can also become infected with mumps if they are neither vaccinated nor had mumps as a child.

Transmission routes of mumps

Mumps only occurs in humans and can therefore only be transmitted from person to person. This happens via the so-called droplet infection. When you sneeze, cough or speak, infected droplets of saliva become airborne. When a person inhales these, the germs enter the oral mucosa through the mouth and then infect the salivary glands. The virus can also be transmitted by kissing or, in rare cases, by sharing cutlery, crockery or toys.

The time between transmission of the virus and the onset of the disease, the so-called incubation period, is usually between 14 and 25 days, with the average being 16 to 18 days. Infected people are contagious about a week before the first symptoms appear and up to about 9 days afterwards, provided the symptoms have subsided by then. The risk of infection is greatest two days before and four days after the onset of the disease.

symptoms of mumps

The following symptoms are typical of mumps:

• Fever
• painful swelling in front of and below the ear (on one or both sides)
• Pain when chewing, swallowing, or opening your mouth
• protruding earlobes
• severe abdominal pain (if the pancreas is also affected)

In addition, some other atypical symptoms can occur with mumps. These include headaches, loss of appetite, fatigue, body aches and general malaise.

course of mumps

Mumps is not usually dangerous for children. 30 to 40% of mumps cases even progress without any symptoms. In about 50% of children under the age of 5, the symptoms are more reminiscent of a cold, since there are no other symptoms apart from atypical symptoms such as mild fever, tiredness, loss of appetite and headaches. In the remaining cases, a hard, painful swelling that extends to the angle of the jaw. The swelling is usually unilateral at first, until a few days later the other parotid gland also swells. The affected children then usually look as if they have “hamster cheeks”.
After about eight to ten days, the symptoms subside and the mumps disease disappears on its own.

Comorbidities in mumps

In most cases, infection with mumps in children is harmless and free of complications. However, complications can occur in rare cases, as well as in adolescents and adults. The risk of the virus spreading further in the body and thus leading to secondary diseases increases the older the infected person is. For example, in children who have already reached puberty, complications occur in about 30% of cases. In the event of severe or long-lasting symptoms, you should always consult a doctor with your child immediately. Common complications associated with mumps disease include:

• Inflammation of the testicles : Inflammation of the testicles or epididymis can occur, especially in older boys who have already reached puberty. Such inflammations can cause consequential damage and permanently affect fertility.
• Inflammation of the ovaries: Very rarely, girls can develop inflammation of the ovaries, which can cause abdominal pain. Only in the rarest of cases does such an inflammation affect fertility.

• Meningitis: If your child suffers from severe headaches, stiff neck, vomiting, sensitivity to touch or drowsiness, this can indicate meningitis. About three to ten percent of mumps sufferers are affected. In most cases, however, it is an aseptic inflammation that usually heals without consequences. Special treatment is only necessary in about 3 to 15 percent of cases.
  Note: A relatively sure sign of an existing meningitis is if your child cannot pull his chin forward to his chest or only with great pain.
• Inflammation of the inner ear: In some patients, the inner ear becomes inflamed during the course of mumps disease. When it occurs in conjunction with meningitis, about 1 in 10,000 people will experience permanent hearing loss, such as sensorineural hearing loss or unilateral or bilateral deafness.
• Inflammation of the brain: In very rare cases, a dangerous inflammation of the brain, encephalitis, can also occur.

If the fever initially drops during a mumps infection, but then rises again significantly, this is usually a sure sign of an existing secondary illness. In this case, a doctor’s visit is essential to clarify the cause of the renewed fever and to initiate any treatment as soon as possible.

Mumps: when to see a doctor?

If you suspect that your child has mumps, you should definitely seek medical advice. In the case of a typical course, the pediatrician usually suffices to make a diagnosis by looking at the swollen salivary glands. In case of doubt, he will probably take a blood sample to confirm the diagnosis. He can also clarify through an examination whether there are any complications or secondary diseases.

Because mumps is a viral infection, antibiotic treatment is not effective. However, the pediatrician can prescribe preparations for symptomatic treatment, for example antipyretics and pain relievers.

What can you do about mumps?

If your child has mumps, there are a few things you can do to minimize your child’s symptoms and prevent others from being infected. Some sensible measures are:

• Isolate the child: In order to prevent your child from infecting other people in their environment, it makes sense that they have as little direct contact as possible until about nine days after the onset of the first symptoms.
• Inform the school or kindergarten: Although mumps is not compulsory to report in all German federal states, it can still make sense to inform your child’s school or kindergarten about the disease. In this way, further diseases can be contained.
• Bed rest: Even if your child isn’t feeling very sick, it’s good to get as much rest as possible until the fever goes down. The weakened immune system then has an easier time recovering. Stress and hectic, however, are not conducive to the recovery process.
• Drink a lot: In order to keep your child’s fluid balance stable, it is important that they drink a lot. This is especially important if you have a fever, as your child is likely to lose some fluids through sweating. However, be careful not to give the little patient any acidic drinks, such as orange juice, as these stimulate salivation, which can be very painful during mumps. Herbal teas lightly sweetened with honey are certainly the better alternative.
• Mushy food: If the salivary glands are swollen, your child will hurt every movement of the head or even the jaw. Since it still has to eat something in order to get well again as quickly as possible, it is good if you prepare liquid or mushy food for it or puree meals. On the one hand, these do not have to be chewed and, on the other hand, they do not have to be so heavily insalivated before swallowing. This protects the inflamed salivary glands and makes it easier for your child to eat.
• Treat swelling: Both heat and cold can help your child against swelling. Here it is simply a matter of trying out what gives him the most relief. You can apply heat, for example, with an infrared lamp or a lukewarm hot water bottle, which your child can place on the swollen areas. Cold compresses can also help.
• Oral hygiene: Since the pathogens spread through the mouth, good oral hygiene is particularly important when you have a mumps infection. Brushing your teeth regularly and gargling with disinfectants can help reduce inflammation of the salivary glands. It can also help if you wipe your child’s mouth several times a day with a cloth soaked in chamomile tea, as chamomile also has a disinfectant effect.

Home remedies for mumps

There are some home remedies you can use to naturally relieve your child’s discomfort. Here are some tips that have proven themselves over several generations.

What to do against fever with mumps?

• Calf wraps: Calf wraps are used with the aim of dissipating the heat generated by the fever in your child’s body. Cloths soaked in cold water are wrapped around the child’s lower legs to achieve a refreshing and cooling effect. You can read about exactly how calf wraps are used in our article ” Calf wraps against fever “.
• Vinegar socks: You can also give your child relief from fever by using so-called vinegar socks. Similar to calf wraps, they also ensure that excess heat is dissipated from your child’s body. To prepare the vinegar socks, mix 5 tablespoons of vinegar essence with 1 quart of cold water. Then dip a pair of cotton socks in the liquid and wring them out lightly. Now pull the cool, damp socks over your child’s feet and slip a pair of dry stockings over them. The application is finished when the damp socks on your child’s feet have dried.
  Tip: It is best to put a towel under the children’s feet so that the bed or sofa does not get wet.

What to do against the swelling of the glands in mumps?

• Quark wraps: Quark wraps have a cooling and disinfecting effect and can therefore help your child when their swollen salivary glands hurt. To prepare, simply spread a finger-thick layer of cottage cheese onto the middle of a gauze bandage. Then fold the outer edges over so that the curd is covered. Now you can put the wrap around your child’s head and fix it with a scarf, for example. It is best if the wrap can act throughout the night. Alternatively, you can also wrap smaller packages of quark, which your child can then press onto the painful area with their hands.
• Acetic clay: Acetic clay is an antiseptic substance that you can get in pharmacies, for example. It is also very suitable for cooling applications and wraps. Mix 1 tablespoon of acetic clay with 1/4 liter of water. Dip a thin cotton or linen cloth in the liquid and wring it out lightly. Then you simply put it on the painful area and let it work. As soon as the wrap gets warm, you can exchange it for a fresh one. It is best to ask the pharmacy staff again for the exact application.
• Warm oil wraps: For some children, warmth rather than cold helps with swollen parotid glands. One possible application is to apply moist, warm oil wraps to the swollen areas. To do this, dip cotton wool or soft linen cloths in warm olive oil or brush them with warm lard. Then place them on the affected areas and fix them with a cloth or scarf.

prevent mumps

The only effective prevention against mumps is vaccination. It is recommended by the Standing Vaccination Committee (STIKO) of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for all children from the age of eleven months as a combination vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR vaccination). The vaccination consists of two partial vaccinations, the booster vaccination should take place in the second year of life. Without vaccination, around 90 percent of all children will contract mumps by the age of 15. Since complications can increase with increasing age, it is recommended that children who have missed the repeat vaccination in the second year of life should be revaccinated by the time they start school at the latest, since the risk of infection is particularly high in community facilities. You can find more information in our article “ MMR Vaccination“.