MUMPS: PREVENTION, SYMPTOMS, AND TREATMENT

Mumps is a contagious disease, common in children, caused by a virus that passes from one person to another through saliva, nasal secretions, and close personal contact.

 

The condition primarily affects the salivary glands, also called the parotid glands. 

 

What are the symptoms of mumps?
 

Symptoms of mumps usually appear within two weeks of exposure to the virus. Flu-like symptoms may be the first to appear, including:

 

 

A high fever of 103°F (39°C) and swelling of the salivary glands follow over the next few days. The glands may not all swell at once. More commonly, they swell and become painful periodically. You are most likely to pass the mumps virus to another person from the time you come into contact with the virus to when your parotid glands swell.

 

Most children who contract mumps show symptoms of the virus. However, some people have no or very few symptoms.

 

What is the treatment for mumps?
 

Because mumps is a virus, it doesn’t respond to antibiotics or other medications. However, you can treat the symptoms to make your child more comfortable while you’re sick. These include:

 

 

How can I prevent mumps?
 

Vaccination can prevent mumps. Most infants and children receive a vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) at the same time. The first MMR shot is generally given between the ages of 12 and 15 months at a routine well-child visit. A second vaccination is necessary for school-aged children between 4 and 6 years old.