The causative agent of the disease is a filter-negligible virion belonging Myxovirus family. He does not have a high resistance in an open environment and outside the body quickly dies. Infected with measles child can contact with a carrier of infection at the peak of its contagiousness, a few (3-4) days before the rash.
What it is?
Measles in children - a disease of viral nature, always with an acute onset, having a high contagiousness, transmitted by airborne droplets, characterized by phenomena of intoxication, catarrhal period and rash.
The disease occurs throughout the year, but most of the cases recorded in the spring and fall. Susceptibility to measles pathogen reaches 98-100%. Upon contact with the virus absence of immunity necessarily lead to infection.
How do you get infected with measles?
The virus is spread through the air, with which the current through the vent pipe may even fall to the floor. In a closed room close it easily affects the respiratory tract, mucous membrane of the throat and eyes. The organism also falls with human saliva droplets patient when he sneezes or coughs. Sunlight quickly kills the measles virus. Disinfection of the premises, in which there were sick children need not be good enough ventilation, since the period of the virus life is only 2-3 hours at normal temperature.
If the child is not made on time vaccination, then in close contact with someone who is sick, he is required to. Its peak virus reaches the end of the incubation period, and in the next few days. It was during this time the patient is infectious to others must not come into contact with other children who attend kindergarten or school.
Measles virus throughout his life produces toxic substances that poison the body of children. Symptom of measles is a characteristic red rash on the face and body.
Disease in early childhood
Features of the course of measles in young children:
- Children under the age of three can not be infected with measles - is due to the fact that my mother gave them immunity at birth. The very same woman or inoculated against measles, or it hurt.
- Passive immunity that lasts up to 6 months, allows you to protect infants at this age and they are infected is extremely rare.
- For early childhood is more common atypical form of measles. There catarrhal shortened period weakly expressed symptoms, no stains Filatov-Koplik and enantemy on the mucosal surface of the mouth. Sometimes replacing the incubation period comes rash and catarrhal period thus completely overlooked.
- Although symptoms in early childhood is not so pronounced, measles often gives complication. This is due to the fact that a weak immune system is not always able to repel a powerful virus that suppresses all the body's defenses.
Symptoms of measles, photos
Oddly enough, but as measles begins (see. photo), will not see even the most astute parent. This insidious disease develops in stages, with the initial period may last for a week and did not manifest itself. The child will continue to have fun and play, and a malicious virus thus time will undermine his body from the inside.
1) The incubation period for infant measles: 7-14 days (counted from the moment of infection to the immediate onset of symptoms).
2. Catarrhal period, when children appear the first signs of measles, resembling the symptoms of colds:
- general malaise;
- lack of appetite;
- severe weakness;
- headache;
- insomnia;
- temperature 38-40 ° C;
- purulent rhinitis with mucous secretions of the nose;
- swelling, redness of the eyelids;
- watery eyes;
- dry, haunting cough;
- conjunctivitis (ocular purulent inflammation of the mucosa);
- stool softener;
- hoarse voice;
- photophobia;
- stomach ache;
- in children under one year is often observed decrease in body weight.
3. The main symptoms of measles in children (after almost three weeks after the first signs of disease):
- grayish fine whitish rash (Size - poppy grain) in the mouth, mucosal opposite molars;
- even after 5 days appear bright, merging with each other patches (size - up to 10 mm), slightly elevated above the skin: begin appear at first behind the ears, on the forehead, and then - to the rest of the face, neck, etc. - throughout the body, in the last instance - hand and feet;
- small pink spots rapidly increase in size, merge, acquire an absurd, irregular shape;
- 3 days after intense rash temperature rises again (in most cases) to 40.5 ° C.
The rash covers the child's body in an average of 4 to 7 days, after her first stay brownish spots, which begin to peel off, even after a couple of weeks, the skin is cleansed completely. Rash disappears in exactly the same order as it came, - on behalf of the extremities. Here's how measles manifested at different stages of its development: it is necessary to know, not to be confused with other disease infectious diseases (with the same cold), not self-medicate and to show the child in a timely manner doctor.
abortive form
Abortive form of measles in a child - is one in which, after the catarrhal period, all the symptoms disappear by themselves. Rash only appears on the face and sometimes the neck. There is a latent form of the disease when the rash does not appear at all, and mild catarrhal phenomena.
A special feature is the ability to increase the weight of measles due to the addition of complications. Complications of measles in children occur when joining the bacterial flora. Often affects the respiratory tract. By the pathology of the respiratory system include purulent tracheitis, laryngitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
atypical form
Atypical measles, a child may be characterized by symptoms or erased, or vice versa too bright. There may be no catarrhal period, broken phasing rash. Form of measles, in which all the symptoms have been mild, called mitigirovannoy. it happens more often in measles in children under one year, and in those who received immune globulin immediately after contact with the ill person. Atypical form of malignant symptoms is extremely rare.
What is measles in children: photo rashes
The photo below shows how the disease manifests itself in the child.
complications
One of the distinguishing features of the measles virus - its ability to suppress the immune system, because this may cause a lot of complications from a variety of systems and organs. Most often activated conditionally pathogenic microflora, which is always present in the body of the child, but successfully suppressed his immune forces.
Complications come in early and late, are caused both by the virus (primary) and arise from the imposition of a bacterial infection (secondary).
Complications of the respiratory system:
- pneumonia;
- bronchitis;
- pneumonia;
- laryngitis;
- pleurisy.
The primary complications caused by measles virus:
- early measles giant cell pneumonia;
- encephalitis;
- meningoencephalitis;
- subacute sclerosing panencephalitis.
Complications of the central nervous system:
- encephalitis;
- meningitis;
- polyneuritis;
- meningoencephalitis.
Complications of the digestive tract:
- stomatitis (inflammation of the oral mucosa);
- enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine);
- colitis;
- frustration of a chair because of the increased activity of pathogenic microflora.
Complications of other organs and systems:
- conjunctivitis;
- ear infections;
- blindness;
- myocarditis.
Complications of the genitourinary system:
- pyelonephritis;
- cystitis.
Unfortunately, some complications, especially on the part of the central nervous system, may result in death.
Diagnostics
Where there is measles in typical form, it does not amount to diagnose occupational disease. The presence of obvious signs of measles, as described above, exclude other diseases. For the diagnosis of the patient should be appointed surrender a number of additional tests for atypical form of the disease:
- common blood and urine tests;
- a blood test for the presence of virus or swabs from the nasopharynx (virological method);
- a blood test for antibodies and increasing their titer (serological method);
- reacting hemagglutination inhibition that can indicate the presence of infectious lesions.
When developing complications, the doctor additionally appoint other tests. The most common among them are electroencephalography, and chest X-ray.
How to treat measles?
Any special methods of treatment of measles there, the body fight the infection on their own. Child Treatment is symptomatic use, which will facilitate the patient's general condition:
- Antihistamines. Are assigned to relieve swelling of the mucous nasopharynx.
- Antipyretics. It is recommended to use products based on paracetamol and ibuprofen.
- Vitamin therapy. When disturbed measles vitamin metabolism, significantly reduced the protective properties of the organism. Your doctor may prescribe vitamin C and vitamin complex.
- Cool, moist air in the room. It helps moisturize the mucous membranes, coughing becomes so dry.
- Hygiene procedures. The recovery period can take a bath. It is also necessary to carry out thorough hygiene of the oral cavity, eye wash, if there is an inflammatory process.
- Diet. After the acute phase, when the temperature goes down, the child's appetite appears. It is necessary to offer an easy, mashed, warm food.
The illness is also important to provide the child with vitamin complexes to maintain immunity, and chapped lips lubricated with petroleum jelly.
Measles patient bed rest is required until the temperature is kept. If possible, select his own room. Wet cleaning should be performed at least 2 times a day. It is important that the air is constantly remained fresh, so often ventilate the room. If glare causes discomfort, the Draw curtains, and in the evening instead of chandeliers include a table lamp. Observe the daily routine. Although sleep is broken and appeared insomnia, try to go to bed on time. This is especially true for children. If it is difficult to keep the child in bed, then allowed to play quiet games, a little TV, read together. But it is desirable that after dinner he slept.
Symptomatic treatment is performed at home under the supervision of a pediatrician. The separation of the child is placed in a hospital if complications start to develop. If there are complications of therapy complementary antibacterial drugs.
Diet and nutrition
Just a few recommendations that will help to defeat measles
- The menu should be a lot of fruits and vegetables as raw or stewed and boiled. Well suited vegetable soups with cereals on a low-fat meat broth.
- Restore water supplies and minerals help to prepare solutions for dehydration Regidron, Humana electrolyte. Prepare the same solution you can independently dissolved in a liter of boiling water 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Normal adult 2.5-3 liter per day, and for a child of 100-150 ml / kg per day. Compliance with this rule helps to remove the body of harmful viruses waste products, reduce alergizatsiyu the body and prevent the development of complications. Drinks can be pure water, fruit, juices, fruit drinks, teas.
- The food should be warm, but not hot enough to not irritate the sore throat. For the same reason it is desirable that the dishes were mashed and semi-solid (cream soups or milk porridge). Such food is ingested easily, without irritating the oral mucosa.
- As a side dish you can use any semi-liquid porridge: rice, buckwheat, millet.
- Good lift immunity of dairy products, especially yogurt, Narine and homemade yogurt.
- To strengthen the immune system necessary protein dishes lean minced meat and fish (steam cutlets, pâté or souffle). As well as omelets, cheese in its natural form or in a casserole with cereals and berries.
preventive measures
Prevention of measles in children includes a number of important points.
- Vaccination. The most effective protection - vaccine. It can be a single-component and multicomponent (PDAs, or measles, mumps, rubella). Vaccination is carried out in 1 year, then again in 6 years. In 10% of vaccinated children may appear mild form of infection with rash and minor increase in temperature. At this point, the children are considered to be non-infectious. In connection with the mass refusal of vaccination in Russia, the cases of measles. According to statistics, 80% of children who have had the disease, have not been vaccinated.
- Receiving immunoglobulin, or passive immunization. If you know that a child in contact with the carrier measles or been in the focus of the disease, you can use the immunoglobulin that provides immunity from infection within one month.
- Quarantine. In the children's collective, where recorded case of measles, anti-epidemic measures are carried out and a daily preventive examination of children. A child is considered to be contagious a few days before the appearance of symptoms and for 5 days after the onset of the first skin rashes. Stay banned in children's team. Quarantine conducted only for unvaccinated children under 17 years.
Recurrent disease measles occurs in extremely rare cases. Lifelong immunity after suffering disease. After inoculation strong immunity persists for over 15 years.
Graft
The vaccine - the most effective method in preventing measles. Vaccination is an artificial virus infection. But its concentration is so small that the body of the child cope with the infection on their own and at the same time produces protective antibodies.
After inoculation possible:
- a slight increase in temperature;
- appearance conjunctivitis;
- small rash on the body.
All this is perfectly safe, and runs for 2-3 days. The first vaccination is carried out in children under the age of one year, revaccination - 6 years. Then you can rely on long-term effect, providing your baby protection from the virus for 15 years. See immunization schedule
Measles - a disease not a pleasant one. In addition, in young children it is often complicated by other unpleasant diseases, which can bring much more harm than the measles. At the same time, kids who recover from this sore once acquire lifelong immunity.
Vaccination against measles - a reliable method of preventing a disease, but it is not a panacea. Before agreeing to the vaccination, you should make sure that the child has a strong immunity, and there are no other contraindications.
