Measles is a very common infectious disease that belongs to the category of so-called childhood diseases. Parents need to know how measles is manifested in the child in order to avoid unpleasant complications.
Typically, the peak incidence occurs in spring, autumn and winter. It is believed that children under the age of one year do not get measles, as they inherit maternal immunity. However, if a woman was not vaccinated, or there was no this virus in her body, then there is a chance of infection of the baby.
Symptoms
The main symptoms in the early stages of the disease are very similar to inflammation of the upper respiratory tract - it is swelling of the nasal mucosa. The next stage in the development of infection in the body is the appearance of a large spotted rash of red color.
Spread
A person is very susceptible to measles infection and in almost all cases becomes infected by a virus carrier. And no wonder, because the virus is extremely aggressive, spreads by airborne droplets and can be transmitted through the air very quickly. Therefore, precautions should be taken in advance. If someone has measles in the team , the epidemic spreads at the speed of light.
And only timely vaccination will help to avoid the disease.
Anamnesis
The incubation period of the disease is about 10 days. The ailment begins like normal flu. The main thing here is not to miss the symptoms, as the disease (measles) does not immediately appear. It is necessary to contact specialists, since only doctors at the initial stage can make the correct diagnosis, having determined it after examining the mucous membrane in the area of the cheeks. A white rash appears there.
Red spots appear on the 3-5 day of illness. The face, neck, and limbs are affected first, the next day the rash spreads throughout the body. In 2-3 days after the appearance of spots, a high temperature can rise (up to almost 40 degrees). The man is sluggish, he has no appetite, he is tormented by a dry barking cough, his eyes become inflamed. It is best to place the patient in a dark room because of photophobia and give him a plentiful drink. On the 7th day, the rash turns pale, but for another two weeks brownish pigment spots remain throughout the body, which gradually fade and soon completely disappear.
Baby care
When parents know how measles appears in children, they can take a number of measures in a timely manner to alleviate it. A sick child should be put to bed in a well-ventilated area, often change bedding and pajamas, give a vitamin-rich drink. Since the eyes of a small patient will be inflamed, it is necessary to constantly rinse them with warm water or a weak solution of boric acid. After this, the drug "Sulfacil sodium" should be instilled into the eyes. Chapped lips from high temperature are smeared with hygienic lipstick or boron vaseline. It is imperative to clear your nose of mucus. If the child cannot blow his nose, then the babies need to remove the nose discharge with a small syringe. Then it is necessary to treat the sinuses with a cotton swab dipped in petroleum jelly.
Food
Berry fruit drinks, water with lemon are very useful. It is better to give the patient light food: yogurt, kefir, oatmeal, mashed vegetables or boiled, minced beef or chicken meat. Measles greatly weakens the body of the child - it becomes susceptible to other infections. It is necessary to be extremely careful, protect it from hypothermia and unnecessary contacts, since during this period a common flu virus can turn into a severe form of pneumonia.
It is very dangerous to be in ignorance and not know: how does
measles in adults after 20 years manifest? With complications, inflammation of the middle ear, blindness, pneumonia, laryngitis and even encephalitis can develop. Often we tolerate various diseases much harder than our children. Often, complications arise precisely in adults, the disease lasts much longer than in children, and is accompanied by a high temperature, which is very difficult to bring down. Because of this, meningitis can develop, entailing fatal consequences, up to a fatal outcome. Otitis, often accompanying measles, sometimes leads to deafness. If pregnant women suffer from this infection, then they may lose the baby, or the fetus may develop pathologies. We also know how measles manifests itself when predisposed to gastritis. It can cause complications in the small intestine, which in turn will cause catarrhal colitis.
Since the disease refers to severe infectious ailments, the patient must be observed by a specialist. In addition, there is a danger of an epidemic in a team where there is a virus carrier. The treatment of mild measles in children occurs at home. They mainly use antipyretic drugs, heavy drinks, vitamins, and expectorants. Patients are transferred to the hospital only in case of complications.
Vaccination
For many years now, vaccination has been the most effective method of preventing measles. We know what the main method of this procedure is. The body is infected with a weak virus, as a result of which a person has immunity to certain pathological microorganisms. It is worth noting that not everyone knows how measles appears in a child in a latent form. It is important not to miss the moment of the onset of the disease, as the symptoms are not very pronounced: the temperature rises, and a mild form of conjunctivitis appears. If such manifestations of the infection did not disappear for 2-3 days, you should consult a pediatrician.
Children begin to be vaccinated against measles from the age of 12 months, the next vaccination is done by 6 years. Various forms of vaccination are practiced:
- monovaccination;
- vaccination (when a substance against mumps, rubella and measles is administered at the same time).
The vaccinated organism is resistant to measles virus. Its resistance to infection persists for 15 years.
However, there are contraindications for any type of vaccination. Little has been studied how measles is manifested in HIV infection. During pregnancy and tuberculosis, it is strictly forbidden to vaccinate.
If there is a risk of illness due to direct contact with an infected person. In this case, measles immunoglobulin is administered for prophylaxis. This must be done in the first days after contact with the patient. Until the moment when they began to carry out universal vaccinations against measles, the majority of cases of this virus were children under 16 years of age.