Mumps is an acute, extremely infectious disease caused by a virus that targets glands and nervous tissues. It is mainly found between the ages of 5 and 9, but anyone can contract it. Mumps is a rather uncommon infection after the vaccine was invented in 1967, since then immunizations are wide spread and the numbers of children contracting this disease has fallen although more young adult cases are seen. One striking characteristic of Mumps is that it is similar to Chicken Pox whereas once you contract it; it is very rare to ever experience it again. See more below:
What are the symptoms?
First symptoms include a mild fever, a general feeling of unwellness, chills, loss of appetite, dryness of mouth and throat, headache, and swelling and pain in the glands of the cheeks. Pain is usually partnered with the swelling of the glands, and it worsens when the patient swallows, talks, chews, and drinks. It is possible for one side of the glands to swell more than the other. This will be followed by a spreading of the soreness and swelling to the ears, and sometimes the tongue, neck, and upper chest as well. In children the symptoms usually fade by the twelfth day after the first symptoms appear.
If left unchecked Mumps can progress to much more serious conditions, such as swelling of the brain or Encephalitis, and spreading to the spinal chord causing Meningitis. Symptoms of these conditions will usually appear after in a week after the first sign of the initial swelling of the glands. They include high fever, headache, drowsiness, convulsions, stiff neck, nausea, and vomiting.
In male patients mostly in the adolescent form, a condition called Orchitis which is inflammation of the testicles can occur. This will also include symptoms of high fever, chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain equal to Appendicitis. Usually this condition will subside on its own.
In female patients Mumps may spread to the ovaries, pancreas which will inflict pain and tenderness in the stomach region. This will subside on its own as well. Sometimes a Mumps outbreak is so benign that it is not detected. One in three patients have contracted Mumps and not been aware of their condition.
How is it diagnosed and treated?
Today there is a Mumps vaccination available and it is usually given to children between the ages of 12 and 15 months in an initial dose. At the ages of 4 and 6 a second dose is usually recommended.
Your child's doctor will closely examine their patient to determine if there is an outbreak of Mumps. Mumps is a virus so it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Therefore, it must be allowed to run its course with close observation of the child in order to monitor progress and watch for other conditions.
Is it contagious?
Mumps is extremely contagious it can be passed through tiny molecules of saliva and miniscule drops of liquid from the nasal cavity. It can be carried through the exchange of sneezing, coughing, and laughing. The period of contagiousness lasts from 2 days before symptoms appear to 6 days after they're gone. It can also be carried by patients who are not infected yet still carry the virus on them.
