Mumps disease in children – symptoms, photos, what is the danger of mumps

Mumps, or mumps, is an acute viral disease accompanied by inflammation of the salivary glands. The disease is common, mainly among children from five to fifteen years old, but there are cases when adults get sick.

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Mumps infectious disease – how and why does mumps occur in children?

Mumps is one of the diseases of children, and therefore, most often babies aged from three to seven years old get sick with it. Boys are twice as likely to have mumps as girls.
The causative agent of mumps is a virus of the paramykovirus family, which is related to influenza viruses. However, unlike influenza, it is less stable in the external environment. The transmission of mumps infection is carried out by airborne droplets. Basically, the infection occurs after contact with the patient. Cases of getting mumps through dishes, toys, or other objects are possible.

The infection affects the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx, nose and mouth. Parotid glands are often affected.

It is possible to detect the first signs of the disease after contact with a patient in about thirteen to nineteen days. The first sign is an increase in body temperature up to forty degrees. After a while, the ear region begins to swell, pain appears, pain when swallowing, and the formation of saliva increases.

Due to the long incubation period, mumps is dangerous. A child, communicating with children, infects them.

The disease of mumps most often occurs during the weakening of the body and the lack of vitamins in it – in the spring and at the end of winter.

Signs and symptoms of mumps in children – a photo of what mumps disease looks like

The first signs of the disease appear after two to three weeks.

The symptoms of mumps are as follows:

• Feeling of general weakness, chills and malaise;
• The child’s appetite disappears, he becomes moody and lethargic;
• Headache and muscle pain appear;
• The body temperature rises.

Inflammation of the salivary glands is the main symptom of mumps in children. First of all, this concerns the salivary parotid glands. Often they swell on both sides, the swelling even spreads to the neck. As a result, the patient’s face takes on characteristic outlines, becomes puffy. That is why the people call the disease mumps.

Some children may have a hard time tolerating the disease. Edema of the parotid glands is accompanied by parallel edema of the sublingual and submandibular glands. Swelling disturbs the child with its soreness. Children complain of pain when talking, eating, and ear pain. In the absence of complications, the persistence of such symptoms lasts from seven to ten days.

Why is mumps dangerous for girls and boys – the possible consequences of mumps disease

The consequences of mumps can be dire. That is why, for any signs of a disease, it is very important to consult a doctor to prescribe the correct treatment.

Among the complications that mumps can lead to, the following are noted:

• Acute serous meningitis;
• Meningoencephalitis, dangerous to health and life;
• Lesion of the middle ear, which can subsequently become the cause of deafness;
• Inflammation of the thyroid gland;
• Disruption of the central nervous system (central nervous system);
• Pancreatitis;
• Inflammation of the pancreas.

In particular, mumps is considered dangerous for males. Moreover, the older the age of the sick child, the more dangerous the consequences. This is due to the fact that in about twenty percent of cases, mumps can affect the spermatogenic epithelium of the testicles. This can lead to future infertility.

The complicated form of mumps disease leads to inflammation of the testicles. Pain is felt in the sex gland. The testicle becomes enlarged, swollen and reddened. Edema is usually observed first in one testicle, and then in the other.

Orchitis, in some cases, can end with atrophy (testicular function dies), which for the future man is the cause of subsequent infertility.

• There are no specific methods for getting rid of mumps. Everything is done to prevent the development of complications and alleviate the patient’s condition. The boy, if possible, is placed in a separate room and provided with bed rest.
• To avoid the development of pancreatitis, the child needs to be provided with the correct diet. When the disease proceeds without complications, a child’s mumps can be cured in ten to twelve days.
• The disease is less tolerated with age. If mumps disease in a boy was not accompanied by orchitis, there is no need to be afraid of infertility. Mumps is considered extremely dangerous when puberty occurs. To avoid a disease with serious consequences, it is necessary to vaccinate at the age of one year and at six to seven years for prevention.