Mumps In Toddlers Symptoms & Treatment

Treating Mumps In Toddlers & Its Signs

Since, the incubation period for the virus is somewhere between 16 to 18 days, a toddler with mumps might not exhibit any symptoms of the illness. However, the child is most infectious during the first couple of days before onset and five days after the condition sets in. Mumps in toddlers is characterized with symptoms, when they do appear, that include high fever lasting three to four days, loss of appetite, general malaise, and headache.

Although, mumps can create problems in the kidneys, heart, and brain, the disease is mostly known for causing a swelling of the cheeks near the jaw line. The swelling occurs because the mumps virus invades the parotid glands and kills the cells in these glands.

Treatment for Mumps in Toddlers

Treatment usually includes medication to relieve the pain, swelling and fever. The toddler should get as much rest as possible to ensure recovery.

Also make sure that the child drinks enough water because children suffering from mumps tend to get dehydrated easily. Apply cool compresses to the neck to relieve pain and swelling. Keep the infected child away from other children to avoid spread of the virus. Immunization is the best way to protect against mumps. The vaccine known as MMR protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. Complications are rare, yet they may occur. For instance, some children could develop deafness, encephalitis, meningitis, or pancreatitis as a result of contracting mumps. However, most children recover from the illness without any such complications.