The fitness app that helps you stay healthy! Check it out on our website.
Rubella, also known as German measles, is one of the infectious diseases prevalent in children, characterized by weakness, and fever, followed by the appearance of irritating and itchy rash. What is the disease and how is it treated?
Rubella, also known as German measles, is one of the most common and infectious diseases among children. The disease is caused by a virus called Rubella-Zoster. Symptoms of the disease include fever and weakness, followed by the appearance of a rash after a few days.
The rash usually starts on the chest and back or on the face, then spreads to the neck and later to the limbs. Sometimes sores may appear inside the mouth, on the eyelids, or in the diaper area. The sores start as raised red spots and turn into fluid-filled blisters. Initially, the fluid in the blisters is clear, but over time it becomes cloudy. By the end of the illness, the blisters turn into dry scabs. The rash appears in waves over 4-5 days, and a fever wave may occur before each rash. Typically, between 250 to 500 blisters appear, but sometimes even more than 1500 or less than ten. The sores are accompanied by a very intense itching sensation. In severe cases of rubella, the fever can reach 40 degrees Celsius and last for 3-4 days.
If the sores are not scratched, and the child does not pick at them with their fingernails, they should not leave scars and will heal as they came. Sometimes, spots remaining after a rubella illness tend to disappear within 6-12 months.
In most cases, a child who has had rubella is immune to the disease for life. However, a small percentage of the population may contract the disease again, including children who contracted it for the first time before the age of one.
In most cases, children pass the disease without complications. There are rare cases where complications occur, and the disease develops into secondary bacterial infections on the skin, in the lungs, blood, or brain. One in every 500 children falls ill to the extent of needing hospitalization (0.2%). Each year there are also cases of death as a result of rubella among children who were previously completely healthy but were not vaccinated.
The disease spreads through the air when the infected person sneezes, coughs, or even talks. The disease also spreads through direct contact with the blisters. Two days before the rash appears, the patient may infect people around them and remain contagious until all the sores dry up, usually within a week. A child who has rubella is expected to stay at home for about a week. The rash completely disappears within two to three weeks. Additionally, it is worth noting that if a child infects their sibling, the second sibling will usually be ill for a longer time and will suffer from many more sores.
To alleviate the itching sensation, one can bathe with lukewarm water and apply calamine lotion every few hours.
An antihistamine medication (such as Penicillium) can be taken, although there is still no scientific evidence of its effectiveness.
If fever bothers the child, a fever-reducing medication can be given, but under no circumstances should aspirin be given. Some medical researchers recommend avoiding the use of ibuprofen in children with rubella, but this recommendation is not agreed upon by all researchers.
If the child also suffers from sores in the mouth, cold drinks, and popsicles can help, along with avoiding salty foods and citrus fruits. To prevent secondary infection, it is advisable to trim the child's fingernails and ensure hand hygiene so that bacteria do not penetrate the skin and worsen the sores.
Various home remedies can alleviate the discomfort for your child:
In most cases, rubella does not require special medical treatment, although it is advisable to see a doctor for any illness accompanied by fever and rash. Medical treatment should be sought promptly in the following cases:
The disease can be prevented through vaccination. However, it should be noted that even a vaccinated child may develop the disease, but it would usually be milder and without serious complications. The vaccine prevents fatalities. Vaccination is part of the vaccination routine in the country and is highly recommended. Unfortunately, even today children die from this disease.
There are groups of people who are at risk of complications from rubella, including pregnant women and people with compromised immune systems. It is recommended that these groups avoid exposure to people with rubella. Rubella is dangerous in the first months of pregnancy and may cause defects in the fetus and health risks for the pregnant woman. If a woman develops rubella close to childbirth or immediately after it, the newborn is at risk of serious complications. Breastfeeding a baby whose mother had rubella in the past protects them as the antibodies pass through breast milk.
