3 Things Parents Need to Know about Measles

1. Measles can be serious.

Some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clears up in a few days, but measles can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than five. There is no way to tell in advance the severity of the symptoms your child will experience.

Some of the more common measles symptoms include:

• high fever
• cough
• runny nose
• red and watery eyes
• rash

2. Measles is very contagious.

Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people around him will also become infected if they are not protected.

Your child can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been, even up to two hours after that person has left. An infected person can spread measles to others even before knowing he/she has the disease—from four days before developing the measles rash through four days afterward.

3. You have the power to protect your child against measles with a safe and effective vaccine.

The best protection against measles is the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR vaccine provides long-lasting protection against all strains of measles.

Your child needs two doses of MMR vaccine for best protection:

• The first dose at 12 through 15 months of age
• The second dose at 4 through 6 years of age

Measles can lead to serious health complications. If your child has symptoms of measles, consult a doctor via Maxicare’s 24/7 Teleconsult Hotline, Videoconsult services powered by the Doctor Anywhere App, or Maxicare Primary Care Clinic (PCC). You may also visit a PCC or request HomeCare for lab tests and diagnostic procedures.

References:

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/8584-measles https://www.cdc.gov/measles/about/parents-top4.html

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