Measles

Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that causes a distinctive rash and fever and mainly affects young children. The measles virus is transmitted in minute airborne droplets from the coughs and sneezes of infected people.

A child who has measles may feel very ill. Meningitis and pneumonia are rare but serious complications. More commonly, eyes and ears develop secondary infection which may need antibiotics.

Measles is contagious for 2-4 days before the rash appears and for about 5 days afterwards. With the MMR vaccination measles is now rare in the UK.

Measles is caused by a highly-infectious virus. It takes around 10 to 12 days for the virus to establish itself, usually after infection from another child.

Physical contact, sneezing and clothing contaminated with nasal secretions all help to spread the infection.

Symptoms usually develop in a well established order:

A mild to severe temperature of around 39°C/102.2°F
Tiredness and general lack of energy
Poor appetite
Running nose and sneezing
Irritable dry cough
Red eyes and sensitivity to light
Tiny white spots (called Koplik's spots) in the mouth and throat
A blotchy red rash that starts behind the ears, spreads to the face and then to the rest of the body and lasts for up to seven days.

Your doctor will probably be able to diagnose measles from the combination of symptoms. The Public Health Laboratory Service has to be notified and will confirm each case.

In most children, rest and simple measures to reduce a fever are all that are needed for a full recovery. If there are no complications, symptoms usually disappear in 7 days. Antibiotics may be prescribed if a bacterial infection develops.

Once the rash starts it is a matter of treating the symptoms.

Check the child's temperature.
Use paracetamol elixir for fever and aches and pains.
Light sensitivity can be helped by reducing sunlight or electric lights in the room.
Use a ball of damp cotton wool to clean away any crustiness around the eyes.
Cough medicines are of little value but do ease ticklish throats. Try placing a bowl of water in the room.
Avoid dehydration. Feverish small children rapidly lose water. It also makes a cough worse.
Try one teaspoon of lemon juice and two teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water. Please note that honey should not be given to babies under the age of 12 months.
Ideally, you should keep your child away from others for at least 7 days after the start of the rash.

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You should isolate your child from other children if you think they may be infected. However, immunised children and those who have already caught measles are virtually immune. NHSDEC07