Everyone can experience measles, from children to adults. In order to avoid dangerous complications, it is important to detect the characteristics of measles.
Although it can heal by itself, measles can become a complication if its characteristics are ignored. What are the characteristics of measles and how to treat it? Here’s the full explanation.
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Characteristics of Measles in Children
Here are the general characteristics of measles in children and infants to watch out for:
- Dry cough.
- Weak.
- Aches and pains.
- Throws up.
- Diarrhea.
- High fever.
- Reddish eyes.
- Have a cold.
- Light sensitivity of the eye.
- No appetite.
- Grayish white spots in mouth and throat.
- Red-brown rash on the head, neck, ears and spreads all over the body.
If you find the above characteristics of measles in children and infants, you should take them to the doctor to examine the cause, so that they can be treated appropriately.
Measles Treatment
To reduce the symptoms of measles in children, the following are various efforts that can be implemented:
1. Plenty of rest
A child’s strong immune system to ward off viral infections is an important effort to cure measles. Therefore, give children adequate rest time and limit their activities, both school and play time.
2. Limit direct contact
Limiting children’s direct contact with the surrounding environment is important to prevent transmission. If the child is already at school, you should ask permission not to enter so that the healing process is optimal. Also limit children’s contact with other family members, especially if there are babies who have not been vaccinated against measles. In addition, make sure the child’s eating and bathing utensils are separated to avoid measles transmission. If necessary, wear a mask to reduce the risk of transmission by sneezing or coughing.
3. Consumption of nutritious food
Give children food with balanced nutrition, for example vegetables and fruits that are rich in vitamins, to increase their body’s resistance and ward off viral infections. However, measles triggers irritation in the esophagus, making it uncomfortable for children to eat. To work around this, you can process food in the form of porridge. Don’t give your child fried foods and cold drinks, because they can exacerbate the symptoms.
4. Bathe the child
There is a myth that when you have measles, infants and children should not be bathed, because it makes the red spots on their skin worse. However, in fact, when the child has no fever, parents may bathe the child. This aims to reduce itching due to rashes and relax the child’s body. Make sure you use bath soap with safe ingredients, so it doesn’t irritate his skin and dry his body using a soft cloth, then apply anti-itch powder.
5. Drink lots of water
High fever is a common feature of measles in children and infants. This situation risks reducing body fluids and electrolytes. To increase children’s body fluids, drink lots of water, especially if the child has diarrhea and vomiting.
6. Take pain relievers
Measles will make a child’s body feel sick or sore. To relieve it, give painkillers and fever-reducing drugs, such as ibuprofen and aspirin. However, aspirin is not recommended for children under 16 years, because it can cause Reye’s syndrome, which triggers damage to the liver and brain.
