MEASLES

MEASLES

MEASLES is extremely contagious, as it is carried from person to person in droplets in the air. Children are contagious from about seven to ten days after they first come into contact with measles to about five days after the rash appears.

Symptoms appear in different stages. Early symptoms before the rash appears are lethargy, tiredness, feeling run-down and irritable. After three to five days there will be a cough, fever, runny nose, red eyes, spots inside the mouth and rash. Before the rash appears, tiny grayish spots might be seen inside the mouth, near the back teeth. Other symptoms that may be experienced are general misery and loss of appetite, diarrhea, vomiting and sometimes abdominal pain.

Children with measles usually develop a rash about ten days after the infection starts. The rash appears as patchy red area all over the body. It usually starts around the hairline and ears and appears at the same time as a sudden rise in fever. In the early stages the rash spreads over the face and then down the trunk and last of all the limbs. Little pinky blue spots get larger and blotchier, blending together, over the next few days. The rash can sometimes have a bruised appearance due to a small amount of bleeding into the skin. Occasionally, a little bit of peeling of the skin occurs, but not in the same way as Scarlet Fever. The rash often fades to leave brownish stains that can take quite a long time to go completely. After four to five days, the rash starts to fade away, along with the fever and cold-like symptoms. It might take quite a long time to totally disappear and the cough tends to carry on for about ten days.

In total, following the incubation period, a straightforward case of measles can last for about ten to 14 days. Measles is extremely contagious as it is carried from person to person in droplets in the air. Children are contagious from about seven to ten days after they first come into contact with measles to about five days after the rash appears.