Measles in babies, what should parents do?

When you have spots, rashes, or gabagen in children and babies, what do you do first as a parent? Even though it looks trivial, it does not rule out that these symptoms lead to serious health problems such as measles. Check out a complete explanation of the characteristics or symptoms of measles that you need to know below!

What is the condition of measles in children and babies?

Quoting from the Mayo Clinic, measles or rubeola is a health problem that occurs due to infection from paramyxovirus.

Not only that, measles in babies is also a respiratory tract infection which is classified as highly contagious.

Measles or seemingly infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body.

Usually, measles, which can be serious to fatal, is transmitted through direct contact and through the air.

This condition also causes rashes on the skin or gabagen all over the body in babies and children.

This disease also cannot be underestimated because measles can kill 100,000 people per year, mostly children and babies under 5 years of age.

However, the measles vaccine or MMR vaccine can reduce infant and child mortality by around 73 percent or around 23.3 million people, between 2000 and 2018.

What are the symptoms and characteristics of measles?

After a child or baby is exposed to the measles virus, it will take 7 to 14 days for the measles symptoms to appear.

Once infected, the first symptom that appears is usually a cough, high fever, and red eyes.

Then, there is also the possibility of experiencing Koplik spots (small red spots mixed with blue and white) in the mouth before the rash or gabagen appears on the child or baby.

Here are some symptoms or characteristics of measles in children and babies that parents need to pay attention to:

• Fever in children
• Cough
• Cold
• Sore throat
• Watery and reddish eyes

After two to three days, the symptoms or signs of measles that also appear, include:

• Diarrhea
• Coplik Spot
• Rash or gabagen that spreads all over the body of a baby or child

It is also important to know that the symptoms and measles infection occur sequentially over a period of two to three weeks, such as:

1. The period of infection and incubation

As previously explained, the measles virus has an incubation period in the body of around 7 to 14 days.

At this time, you will not see any symptoms on the body of the child or baby, including rash or gabagen.

2. Symptoms and characteristics of non-specific measles

Symptoms of measles in children and babies usually start with a mild to moderate fever.

Then, it is often accompanied by persistent cough, runny nose, and sore throat. This condition is classified as mild and lasts two to three days.

3. Acute condition and appearance of a rash

After that, other measles symptoms appear such as rash or gabagen in children and babies. The rash consists of small red spots and some of them are slightly raised.

Spots, red spots, which are classified as tight can make the skin around the body look reddish. The first part of the body that appears with spots or gabagen in babies is the face.

A few days later, the rash began to spread to the arms, stomach, thighs, and legs. At the same time, the fever in the child begins to increase to 40 ° C.

However, there is no need to worry because the symptoms of measles will gradually subside and disappear.

The rash usually occurs 14 days after exposure to the virus, with a range of 7-18 days.

Then, the rash, freckles or gabagen in babies and children lasts for 5-6 days until they finally fade.

4. Period of infectious symptoms

Once the symptoms of measles appear, it is possible that your child can spread the virus to other people for up to eight days.

This transmission begins when symptoms such as rash or gabagen in infants and children appear for four days.

When to see a doctor after measles symptoms appear?

Measles is a disease that is quite serious and very contagious.

Therefore, when you have seen the characteristics of measles in babies and children, it never hurts to immediately see a doctor.

This is done to prevent spread and the child can get treatment directly.

There are several conditions with the symptoms and characteristics of measles that make you have to take your child to the doctor, namely:

• Difficult to wake up
• Dazed or delirious constantly
• Difficulty breathing and does not improve after you clear the nose
• Complained of severe headaches
• Looks very pale, weak, and limp
• Complaining of earaches
• Yellow discharge from the eye
• Still fever after the fourth day the rash appears
• The fever is getting worse

Doctors can usually diagnose measles by looking at the signs and symptoms. In addition, blood tests will be carried out to determine whether there is the rubella virus or not.

Not only that, if a child has a low immune system, he is required to take complete rest.

This is done until all the symptoms of measles in children and babies including gabagen are completely gone.

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