Baby's first year : Measles

All children are vaccinated against measles (MMR vaccine) as part of the immunisation program in the UK.

Measles is an extremely infectious illness and is characterised with a rash, fever,cough and sore, watery eyes. Your child may show these symptoms about one or two weeks after infection. Your child is not infectious after the fourth day after the rash develops. However, you must inform parents of any children your child has been in contact with recently as measles is highly infectious.

There are no medicines to treat measles but you can take measures to help your child as he will feel quite uncomfortable with the illness:

• Try to make your child as comfortable as you can. They tend to cling to you more when they're feeling unwell
• Encourage them to take as many fluids as they can
• High temperature can be brought down with paracetamol or tepid sponging
• Wipe your child's eyes with moist cotton wool if they are feeling sore

Any child suffering from measles is at risk of developing complications like earache or chest infection. In severe cases, measles can cause fits and brain damage and can even kill. You must see your GP again if your child does not feel better after about three days after the rash develops.