An airborne severe disease that is highly contagious caused by a virus of the paramyxovirus family known as morbillivirus led to consequential complications and even death. Direct contact with a virus or breathing in the air contaminated with the virus can cause measles, also known as rubeola. The spreading route of the virus from one person to another is by sharing food, shaking hands, or kissing someone with measles. This virus infects the respiratory tract and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms appear one or two weeks after contact with the virus and remain for two weeks or less. Any individual who is not vaccinated can get measles; however, children under five years old are mainly affected, especially those deficient in vitamin A.
Symptoms
Following are the signs that appear once a child gets affected.
- Rashes on the body
- Running nose
- Watery eyes or red eyes
- Small white spots inside the cheeks
- Rough cough
- Fatigue and fever
- Muscle pain
- Sore throat
- Problem with bright light
Tips to treat measles
Measles is not curable, but symptoms can be managed in the following ways:
- Vaccination
We can give our child post-exposure vaccination after 72 hours of being around the virus.
This makes the symptoms mild and helps to boost immunity and make the body eligible to fight against the virus. MMR(Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine is for kids aged 12 months to 12 years. We provide 1st shot within 12 and 15 months and the second one at 4 and 6 years of age, but if the child’s immune is still weak, provide another shot within three days after exposure. Community-wide vaccination is necessary for healthy children.
- Protein injection
If the women get measles during pregnancy, we can provide them with immune serum globulin called protein injection to boost the immune system. This needs to be injected within six days after exposure to the virus. This can make the symptoms mild or even prevent measles from occur
ring to avoid any complications in infants.
- Fever reduction medication
We need to make sure that our child has no fever. If the kid has a fever, we should give them medications that the health care provider suggests. Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Ibuprofen (Advil) is given to lower fever. Do not give aspirin to children with measles as it can lead to a disease that is less occurring but can affect the liver and brain, called Reyes’s syndrome.
- Water requirement
Dehydration is a cause of many health issues, so always stay hydrated. Ensure the person or kid with measles must fulfill their water requirement of 6-8 glasses daily to avoid dehydration. We can provide them with some fresh juices, milk, or smoothies to accomplish this. Avoid sugary, soft, or cold drinks.
- Supplementation
Kids deficient in vitamin A in their diet have measles attacks primarily due to weak immune systems. Provide them with a diet rich in vitamin A, such as mango, cantaloupe, spinach, sweet potato, eggs, bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, kale, and animal liver. Vitamin A is essential for healthy vision, good eye health, and a robust immune system.
- Dietary restrictions
We must ensure our children or people with measles refrain from taking processed, canned, sugary, or extra-salty food items. Do not let them eat any chines, junk, jellies, jam, cakes, pastries, frozen foods, fries, or fast food with measles, as these can trigger rashes.
Conclusion
A virus mainly causes measles and this disease, also known as rubeola. The virus that causes measles is morbillivirus. This is highly contagious and can cause death. It spreads through an infected and healthy person if they shake hands with them or eat their food. This virus makes the respiratory tract infectious and then spreads throughout the body. Symptoms appear within 1-2 weeks after contact with the virus and stay for less than two weeks. A non-vaccinated person can get measles, mainly affecting children under five years, especially kids with vitamin A deficiency and elders above 30. Children with measles need to have complete rest and avoid processed, frozen, or processed foods. Take vitamin A supplements or from a diet to fulfill the requirement. Drink plenty of water, avoid aspirin for kids with measles, and use ibuprofen or Advil to lower fever. Provide children with MMR vaccination or pregnant females with protein injections.