Measles, the symptoms of which do not appear immediately, are a rather contagious disease. She is one of the most common infectious childhood diseases. Both adults and children suffer from measles. Due to the high probability of susceptibility, almost everyone has time to get measles in childhood.
Causes of Measles
The smallest viral microorganisms cause measles. The virus of this disease is very volatile, spreads quite quickly in air currents. It is transmitted to the healthy from the patient through the air during a conversation, coughing, sneezing; through narrow slots of doors, windows, open windows, keyholes.
The measles virus is located in the respiratory tract, in the patient’s blood, on the mucous membranes of the mouth during the first 5 days of illness. On such days and a couple of days before the appearance of any signs, a person (ailing) is contagious to those around him who have not yet suffered measles.
Many parents think that measles is a mild illness. But this is, in fact, a big mistake. For children under the age of 3-4 years, for often sick, weakened kids of a little older age, it is too dangerous a disease. It is in them that measles proceeds with rather serious complications: inflammation of the larynx, lungs, and colon. Measles can lead to an outbreak of a sharp tuberculosis process; in children who have recently had dysentery - to its exacerbation.
Measles in children: symptoms and treatment
Signs of measles in children often do not appear immediately. At first it develops secretly, while not manifesting itself at least by any deviations from the norm. This "hidden period" can last from 8 to 20 days. The picture of measles disease usually develops gradually.
Measles. Symptoms in older children.
At first, the child becomes too capricious, stops paying attention to toys, then sneezes, a dry cough, a runny nose appears, the temperature rises, and his eyes turn red. This period is called catarrhal. In fact, measles is not significantly different from influenza. Only a doctor can detect other signs that are characteristic only for measles. Such changes are some of the changes in the mucous membranes, eyes, and oral cavity: children squint their eyes, rub their handles, it hurts to look directly at the light. Less often, the eyelashes stick together from large lumps of dried pus, the baby cannot open his eyes until they are well washed. When a doctor examines a diseased oral cavity on parts of the mucous membranes of the lips, cheeks, you can find red spots that are covered with white small dots.
Somewhere on the 3rd day of this catarrhal period, the temperature decreases, but the signs of measles still do not disappear, but, on the contrary, increase - at this time a rash appears. At the stage of its appearance, the temperature usually rises to 39 ° C, and often (in very severe cases) reaches 40 ° C. Such patients sleep a lot - 15-20 hours a day. Initially, a rash covers the neck, face. She is bright pink spots of various sizes rising above the skin. On the 2nd day, it extends to the back, stomach, chest, on the 3rd day - to the legs, arms. A bright rash lasts up to 3 days, then begins to turn pale, becomes brownish or brown, while the spots no longer rise above the skin. Gradually, a runny nose decreases, a cough becomes less frequent, it is not as painful as at first. Eyes cease to hurt. On the 4th day from the moment the rash appeared, the temperature returns to normal, the child becomes cheerful, talkative, and appetite appears. Thus, measles occurs in older children.
Measles. Symptoms in young children.
In children under the age of 1 year, as well as at an older age in weakened babies, measles has a slightly different course. The signs of the disease themselves are rather weakly expressed. The eyelids do not swell at all, it is not painful for them to look at the light, any changes from the mucous membranes may be absent altogether. But, unfortunately, measles in these children is quite difficult, with early complications from the ears or lungs. Small and slightly weak children often experience complications from the lungs, ears, larynx, and intestines.
The most common, serious complications of measles are pneumonia. Measles, the symptoms of which may not occur, may result in pneumonia in young, weakened children, as well as in rickets-infants, it can even lead to death. And it happens that pneumonia with measles takes a chronic form.
Vaccinated children, of course, can get measles, but it goes much easier with them.