SOME CHILDHOOD DISEASES
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Written by Pen Undersky
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Thursday, 06 March 2008 |
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Measles. The chances are that you have had at least one of the so-called childhood diseases by now, or that you will get one in the next few years. Even if you escape them, your children may not.
It is probably a good idea, therefore, for you to know something about such diseases as measles, chicken' pox, whoop¬ing cough, and mumps. This knowledge will help you cope with them.
By early adulthood, almost everyone has had measles (me'z'lz). The virus is easily spread through direct contact with someone who has the disease or even through being in the same house. It may be sneezed or coughed into the air or be present on things that have been soiled with nose and throat secretions.
The danger of other troubles that may develop, such as ear infections or pneu-monia, has been made less because we now have powerful medicines. But mea-sles should never be looked on as a harm¬less disease. The patient should be kept in bed, especially during the first week. Of course, the doctor's directions should be carefully followed.
If you have had measles, you know the symptoms. About ten days after a person has been exposed, he generally feels as though he were catching cold. His eyes water and his nose .runs. His throat may be sore, and his head may ache. He will perhaps have a fever of I 0 I or 102 degrees. Three or four days later, a pink-ish-red rash appears, covering the body. After this happens, the patient feels bet-ter. As his temperature returns to nor¬mal, he need not stay so quiet. However, it is important for him to avoid getting chilled or doing too much.
There are no medicines that can short¬en an attack of measles. A doctor may nonetheless give the patient sulfa drugs or antibiotics to protect hirn against other infections that may set in because of his weakened condition.
During the first week of measles, good home nursing is required. The diet should be light, mostly soups, custards, milk toast, and fruit juices. Bathing the patient with lukewarm water or rubbing his skin from time to time with alcohol or witch hazel will make him feel better. A hot bath, supposed by some people to. "bring out the rash," does no good and,' may do harm. At the end of the attack, a dandruff-like scale can be dusted off the skin. By that time the patient can no longer give the disease to others.
Measles rarely occurs more than once. This is because the antibodies formed in the blood remain active. However, some people have been known to have measles several times.
As you have read, an attack of measles may be made lighter or even prevented by the injection of gamma globulin from the blood of people who have had the disease. This sort of immunity wears off as time passes.
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