Measles in Babies

Measles is a dangerous disease. It is a contagious infection that can spread from person to person. The virus of the disease present in the air makes it more dangerous and difficult for the people to take some precautions. It spreads like some flu in babies, causing many deaths also. Measles is also popularly known as ‘Rubeola’. It is a disease of respiratory system and spreads very quickly. A person suffering from measles lies down in a state of pity. The disease brings along shivering due to coldness and white spots which turn pink in a day or so all over the body. The patient gets rashes which grow quickly to the upper body, back and legs. There are not many treatments available for the disease because of it being an airborne disease. The best treatment is to prevent the disease, and you can prevent the disease only through vaccination. If the mother of the child is vaccinated then the chances for the kid to get affected is less, but it is better to get the kids also vaccinated. There are few vaccinations available in the market. The best and the most recommended among them is MMR. This article will provide you with information on the causes, symptoms and treatment of the disease.
Causes
Measles is caused due to the paramyxo virus present in the air, so it is also an airborne disease. The virus causes respiratory problems in infants. The babies suffering with rubeola may have high fever and rashes all over their body. This disease can spread if a child comes in direct contact with another child suffering from the disease. Secondly, the virus may be present in the saliva, sputum and phlegm of a child. So, there are chances of this virus to spread if that kid sneezes, coughs or splits.
Symptoms
The basic symptoms that a baby suffering from this disease will show is feeling cold, fever, rashes all over the body, cough and conjunctivitis. However, once the paramyxo virus hits a kid it takes 10 to 12 days for it to show its full affect. Between these days there will be certain symptoms shown by the kid which will appear in certain pattern.
Incubation period
This is the time lag between the exposure to the virus and actual culmination of the disease. It may last for a period of 12 days and on the 14th day, rashes appear all over the body.
Prodrome
This succeeds the incubation period. This period projects a cold like symptom. Babies will have running nose and watery eyes. They can get high fever.
Appearance Of Rashes
Rashes show out completely after 2 or 3 days of projection of cold symptoms. Rashes are pinkish in color that grow dark in the later stages.
Disappearance Of Rashes
The rashes begin to fade down after 3 to 4 days. Once the rashes disappear the kid may or may not have running temperature.
Treatment
Though drugs like Ibuprofen, Advil, etc. are recommended for babies, home treatment is the best for this infection. It takes almost two weeks to recover from the disease. Doctors recommend bed rest in such cases. Measles reduces the level of vitamin A in the body which may complicate things. The best treatment is to immunize the person.
Prevention
It is a bit difficult to prevent rubeola as it is an airborne disease. However there are few precautionary measures that when taken can help prevent the disease. The best among them is to provide vaccination to the patient suffering from the disease. There is a vaccine called MMR which stands for measles, mumps and rubella. This vaccine should be provided to all kids after fifteen months of their birth.