Does My Child Have Measles?

Measles is a highly infectious viral illness. It can be very unpleasant and possibly lead to serious complications.

The good news is that 99 percent of persons who properly receive two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine develop immunity against the disease.

Measles cases in Pasadena

There are four confirmed cases of measles in Pasadena as of Feb. 10, 2015, according to the Pasadena Public Health Department (PPHD). Anyone can get measles if they never had it before or they haven’t been vaccinated. It is most common in children aged between the ages of one and four.

Infection and symptoms

• The measles virus is contained in the millions of tiny droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
• Measles is caused by breathing in these droplets or by touching a surface that has been contaminated with the droplets and then placing your hands near your nose or mouth.
• Initial symptoms include cold-like symptoms, red eyes and sensitivity to light, fever and greyish white spots in the mouth and throat.
• After a few days a red-brown spotty rash will appear. It usually starts behind the ears, then spreads around the head and neck before spreading to the legs and the rest of the body.

Caution

Most childhood rashes are not measles. If you are unsure of your vaccination status or if you may have had contact with someone with measles, consult your healthcare provider. If you are already ill, first contact your provider by phone to help prevent the spread of measles in the doctor’s offices.

Local healthcare providers must immediately report any suspected or confirmed cases of measles in people who reside in Pasadena to the PPHD at (626) 744-6043 (24-hour disease reporting line).

Check the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for measles information.