Mumps

Mumps is a viral infection that affects the salivary glands in the region of mouth which produce the digestive juices in the mouth.

The parotid gland located between the ear and the upper portion of the jaw is the one mostly affected by mumps. This disease usually occurs once in the lifetime of children generally between 5 and 9 years, it may occur during any other age-period too. No one can have the disease twice. It is highly contagious.

Causes

Mumps virus is transmitted usually from an infected child when he coughs or sneezes droplets containing the virus into the air. When a healthy child is nearby, he inhales these particles and the virus enters his bloodstream through his respiratory system and gets settled in his salivary glands. The salivary glands become swollen and cause pain in the region of cheeks. The infection may also be caused through direct contact like common drinking glasses, dirty hands and tissue. The infection will last for about 10 to 12 days. Even before the swelling is noticeable, the child with mumps becomes infectious to others and this infectious nature continues until the swelling is completely gone.

Symptoms

• Pain in the swollen area while touching, opening the mouth and while eating
• Mild fever
• Head ache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Hearing problems
• Loss of appetite
• A general feeling of weakness
• Swelling and pain in the joints
• Swelling of the testes in boys
• In rare cases, swelling of ovaries in girls.
• Very rarely, swelling of brain and spinal cord may occur, which is quite serious.

Treatment

Mumps being a viral infection cannot be treated with antibiotics. It has to be allowed to run its course with careful observation of the child for progress.

Home treatment like providing plenty of water or non-citrus juice to drink frequently, and rinsing the mouth regularly will help reduce the infection.
Foods which are easy to chew and swallow should be given so that the swollen glands are not over-exerted, to produce more of salivary juice.

Your doctor may prescribe paracetamol or ibuprofen to reduce the fever. Fever will reduce in 3 to 4 days.

A warm compress over the swollen area will give short-term relief from pain.

Stiff neck, severe head ache, repeated vomiting, skin over the infected area becoming red, and fever lasting for more than 4 days are signs which will require you to call your doctor.

Prevention

Mumps is not so common an infection, since the vaccine named MMR (vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella) was invented in 1967. It is usually given to children at 12 to 15 months, followed by a booster at age 4 or after. Children being affected by mumps has been drastically reduced, thanks to MMR.