Mumps in children is a viral infection affecting the salivary glands. Though children are usually vaccinated against the infection as a part of their mandatory vaccine roster, it is important to take preventive measures against it. Children most commonly pick up the virus from schools and daycare centers. So what to do to ensure your child is protected from it? Read on to know more about the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment for mumps in kids.
What Is Mumps?
Mumps is an infection of the salivary glands by the mumps virus. The virus usually affects the largest salivary gland called the parotid gland. There is one parotid gland in front of each ear, under the skin. Since mumps affects the parotid gland, the disease is also called infectious parotitis (1) (2). It can also affect other organs that will be discussed shortly.
What causes Mumps in children?
A child can catch the mumps virus (called Rubulavirus from the family Paramyxovirus) under the below circumstances:
By coming in contact with the saliva or mucus droplets expelled by an infected person while sneezing or coughing.
Using or sharing the utensils with an infected person.
Touching the surface contaminated by the virus (for instance, when someone with mumps does not wash hands after sneezing and contaminates things that they touch).
The mumps virus can transmit even before the salivary glands begin to swell (3).
How Common Is Mumps In Kids?
Almost every person in the US had got mumps at least once in their childhood. But the cases of mumps have come down by more than 99% since the introduction of the vaccine in the country (4), according to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Vaccination has made mumps less common now than before, but precautions are still essential. Children who have not got all the doses of the vaccine could be vulnerable to the disease. It mostly occurs among children between the age of five and nine years, but older children too can catch the virus (5).
What Are The Symptoms Of Mumps?
A child with mumps will display the following symptoms (6): The first symptoms of the disease usually appear 16-18 days after contracting the virus. The swollen salivary gland makes the disease evident, and you need to consult a doctor.
How Is Mumps In Children Diagnosed?
The diagnosis of mumps involves three steps (7): These tests help to confirm the presence of mumps.
Does Mumps Have Treatment?
There is no treatment for mumps (8). You will have to wait for the immune system to work on the virus.
How Long Does Mumps Last In Children?
Mumps usually lasts for about a week or two, but may resolve even within a few days. The duration varies depending on factors like the age of the child, overall health, and whether they have been vaccinated. Vaccinated children who get the disease will have a shorter run of mumps and display mild symptoms. Since there is no medicine for the disease, home care is the best way to make the child feel better.
How to take care of the child during Mumps?
You can take the below measures to make a child with mumps feel better (9): Home care and attention to the child is essential to help them feel better. But sometimes, the mumps virus may lead to health complications.
What Are The Complications Of Mumps in Kids?
Mumps may occasionally cause the following complications (10): The complications are more common in adults than in children. You may avoid these problems by preventing the infection.
How To Prevent Mumps In Children?
You may take these measures for the prevention of mumps in children: The above steps help control the spread of the virus. However, immunization is the best way to prevent mumps. Next, we answer questions about the mumps vaccine.
Allergic reaction to the first shot. In such a case, the child should not get the second booster shot.
Children with HIV/AIDS.
Children on immunosuppressive medication.
Those with cancer or undergoing treatment of cancer.
Have a constant low platelet count due to a medical disorder.
Children who recently had a blood transfusion or were given blood plasma.
Children who had another vaccine in the past month.
Your doctor will assess the child’s health and tell you whether or not you should give the vaccine to your child. Also, those who get mumps even after two doses of the vaccine experience significantly less severe symptoms, recover faster and are less likely to develop complications.
