Mumps - the Disease
Mumps: a common childhood disease affecting young adults and schoolchildren. The virus is spread by droplets in coughs and sneezes, and through contact such as kissing. Symptoms appear 14-21 days after infection: the child can transmit the virus from several days before and after the swelling appears. Mumps is not generally as contagious as measles.
Symptoms:
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Early symptoms of feverishness; runny nose
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Loss of appetite, with nausea
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Fever and headache; tenderness around the ears, especially on one side followed by:
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Painful swelling of the parotid glands, either one or both sides
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The parotid gland is situated all around the ear (that is: in front, below and behind it) - it is hard and immovable
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Possible swelling of salivary glands under the tongue and below the chin
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Mouth is often dry; chewing, swallowing and opening the mouth is painful
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No particular treatment is needed, except to rest in bed and give light or liquid meals while the patient is unable to swallow. THE MAJORITY OF CHILDREN RECOVER QUICKLY, WITHOUT ANY COMPLICATIONS.
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Herbal Echinacea boosts the immune system.
Complications are rare, however very occasionally, the swelling moves to affect other glands, which may include the ovaries (in girls) and testes (in boys). This is much more common in adults , i.e. after puberty. Usually only one side is affected and the gland becomes swollen and tender. In a tiny minority of cases, the gland atrophies and dies. It is thought that having Mumps with an appreciable swelling of the parotid gland has a protective effect for women against ovarian cancer later in life (Ref. "Mumps - Do We Really Need To Worry" - Dr Jayne Donegan, Informed Parent issue 4, 2004).
In very rare cases an adult man can become sterile if both testes are affected. This makes it more important for boys to get mumps while they are still children so that sterility cannot occur. Since the use of the Mumps vaccine, reported cases have shifted to an older age group.
Your GP should be notified if Mumps develops in your family.