Measles is an infectious disease that usually occurs in an acute form. The disease is often accompanied by an increase in body temperature up to 39 degrees.
Children are usually examined and treated for measles by a pediatrician. First, the specialist conducts an external examination of the child in order to determine the condition of the patient. If, after the examination, the doctor needs additional examinations, he can refer the patient to an infectious disease specialist.
Paramyxovirus enters the body of a child and a disease such as measles develops. When these pathogens are not found in the human body, they die under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, and the virus also does not tolerate low humidity.
This disease can appear between October and early April, at which time all people spend most of their time indoors. Airborne transmission from another person is quite common with this illness.
You could even say that it isthe main route of spread of this disease, the incubation period of which is from a week to two weeks. The patient, when sneezing and coughing, releases many particles of the virus with saliva, these secretions are very dangerous 4 days before the patient develops a rash.
How measles starts in children, the first signs and symptoms will be discussed further.
How the disease progresses
The first sign of measles in children (photo can be seen in the article) is a small rash that cannot be called a full-fledged rash that occurs with the disease.
The patient has the usual symptoms of a cold, the temperature is from 38 to 40 degrees. At the same time, a dry cough is observed.
A sick person transmits the virus to he althy people through sneezing and coughing, the largest accumulation of paramyxovirus in the secretions of a sick person during the first 7-10 days of illness.
A he althy person becomes infected through the mucous membranes, the virus enters the body through the respiratory tract and eyes. It takes 3 days, and through the blood stream it is introduced into the spleen, and after 7-14 days it infects the internal organs and a rash appears on the skin.
If people who are close to the patient do not have a vaccine made on time, then 100% infection occurs instantly. All he althy people in close contact with a sick patient should be vaccinated.
The virus is so dangerous that it can move through ventilation pipes in multi-storey buildings and common areas. In addition to the ventilation compartments, it freely spreads along the stairsgrounds and in the air.
Some people have developed their own protective functions of the body, in which this virus is not dangerous. The most effective method in the fight against measles is the vaccination of the population of the country.
Timely vaccinations save many people from this disease. After infection with measles, a process of complications can occur, which leads to the appearance of concomitant diseases. Children under the age of 5 are most susceptible to these ailments.
If an infection and the development of this disease appeared in a child under 2 years old, then the carrier of the disease is the mother. Her body has neither natural nor developed immunity after routine vaccinations.
Signs and symptoms of measles in children
Measles is a typical infectious disease caused by a virus. It has specific signs (rashes) by which the disease can be easily identified.
The measles virus can be caught without having close contact with its carrier, just being in the same room with him is enough. This virus lives for a short period, so it is almost impossible to get infected by household means (bed linen, dishes, toys).
The disease includes four periods: incubation, catarrhal, stage of rashes and pigmentation. Photos and explanations of the signs of measles in a child are further in the article.
Incubation (latent) period
The initial stage of signs of measles in children, the photo of which is attached, lasts forfor 7-21 days. A child with measles can infect people around the last 5 days of this period. The dangerous stage begins from the penetration of the virus into the body, and ends at the moment the first signs appear.
Viral infection enters the body by airborne droplets (through the mouth or nose) or the organs of vision. After the virus multiplies to a certain size, it enters the bloodstream and the second stage of the course of the disease begins. This is when the first signs of measles appear.
Catarrhal period
Lasts for 3-5 days. It is for him that the first signs of illness are characteristic, which are very similar to a cold.
The first signs of measles in children (the disease mainly affects babies) that may appear:
- weakness and body aches;
- restless sleep or insomnia;
- irritability and nervousness;
- increased body temperature (up to 40 degrees);
- appetite disorder;
- throat redness and pain when swallowing;
- frequent sneezing;
- dry cough;
- runny nose and swelling of the mucosa;
- headaches;
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck;
- diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting;
- malaise.
After some time, the specific signs inherent in this disease appear:
- watery eyes and swollen eyelids;
- pain in bright light;
- hoarse or shrunken voice;
- purulent conjunctivitis;
- rash in the mouth.
An experienced specialist can make a diagnosis of measles on the basis of primary signs even before the appearance of a skin rash. This will allow to isolate the sick child from others in time and prevent the onset of the epidemic. Then the disease begins to progress, the symptoms worsen, and the next stage comes - a rash.
Eruption period
Measles rash on the body is the first sign of measles in children of this period. It lasts up to 4 days, and rashes appear on the 5th.
On the first day, rashes appear behind the ears and on the skin of the head, in the area of hair growth. Further, the rash gradually passes to the skin of the face, neck and chest area.
On the second day, rashes appear in the shoulders, arms, abdomen and back.
During the third stage, the rash affects the lower extremities of the child (including fingers and feet), and the face begins to gradually turn pale. This period is the most acute during the course of the disease.
Associated symptoms may appear against the background of the rash:
- increased fever (body temperature 39-40 degrees);
- increased intoxication of the body;
- bronchitis;
- tracheobronchitis;
- tachycardia.
Pigmentation period
Pigmentation of the measles rash starts from 4-5 days from the appearance of the first rash and lasts from 8 to 14 days. The spots begin to disappear in the same sequencewhich appeared - from the upper half of the body down. They take on a bluish tint and then turn brown. Further, the skin begins to peel off and gradually becomes clear.
The child's condition returns to normal - conjunctivitis recedes, appetite normalizes, capriciousness is replaced by a good mood. Children are no longer contagious from the 6th day after the onset of measles.
Diagnosis
In order to make a reliable diagnosis, the pediatrician without fail prescribes a set of laboratory tests to the child:
- general blood test - helps to determine the presence of the virus, whether antibodies are produced that block it;
- general urinalysis - helps to determine the presence of protein and leukocytes (for measles, these indicators are necessarily present in the patient's urine);
- chest x-ray - the presence of spots on x-rays indicates that the disease has become complicated with pneumonia.
This study is being conducted in order not to confuse measles with similar signs and symptoms of diseases - scarlet fever, rubella, erythema.
Treatment
The most effective way to treat this disease are preventive vaccinations. After a child has been in contact with a patient infected with this virus, measles immunoglobulin should be administered for the first five days.
If this drug is introduced later, the expected result will not be. Even whenthis immunoglobulin entered the body on time, there is no guarantee that the disease will be cured.
The introduction of this drug during the period of manifestation of the clinical signs of this disease will not bring any result. Measles is mostly treated at home under the guidance of a pediatrician.
In the hospital are only those patients who have a very severe form of the disease with complications. Due to the fact that there is no specific drug for the treatment of measles, all manifestations of this disease must be eliminated in a sick child.
Pediatrician prescribes medicines that reduce runny nose, sore throat, cough. With a very dry cough, drugs are prescribed that thin the sputum and facilitate expectoration. These medicines thin the mucus and flush it out of the body.
When a child has a severe runny nose that interferes with normal breathing, the sinuses should be washed with sea s alt medicines, after the nasal passages are cleared, it is necessary to drop the nose. To do this, you need to apply drops that constrict blood vessels and reduce the symptoms of rhinitis.
Children's antipyretic drugs based on paracetamol are prescribed to reduce fever.
Recommendations from pediatricians
To properly follow the doctor's recommendations, the following instructions must be followed:
- The child is prescribed bed rest, plenty of fluids.
- Food should be balanced and enriched with a variety of vitamins. To do this, you need to eat a lot of vegetables and fruits.
- All nasopharyngeal cavities should be free of mucus, shouldapply drops.
- Rinse eyes with a special solution. This procedure should be carried out up to 4 times a day.
- If skin rashes itch and bring discomfort, they need to be treated with ointments.
How to perform treatments
Bathing at a high temperature is prohibited, after the temperature has gone, you can carry out water procedures. Spots that cover the child's body should be lubricated with ointments that soothe itching and irritation.
When washing the eyes, use a decoction of chamomile, warm boiled water, saline. If a child has conjunctivitis and purulent discharge from the eyes appears, you need to buy drops from acute conjunctivitis at the pharmacy.
In the event that the disease proceeds with intoxication or the patient is too weak, treatment is prescribed in a hospital using an immunoglobulin preparation that will increase the protective functions of the body.
Course of the disease with complications
When a patient develops edema, allergic manifestations, the doctor prescribes antihistamines "Zirtek", "Suprastin", "Fenistil".
If the patient has no complications, antibiotics are not prescribed. When an infection is detected after the examination, treatment is prescribed with the following groups of antibiotics - macrolides, penicillins and cephalosporins.
When a patient has a complex form of measles, he is prescribed drugs to reduce inflammation in those organs that are infected with measles. Patients may be referred to the intensive care unit or intensive care unit. The reason for this may becomplications: pneumonia, encephalitis, meningitis.
The danger of this disease is that measles affects the mucous membranes of the child, as well as immune blood cells. As a result, the child is more likely to be exposed to infections.
