Mumps staging a comeback

For the most part it’s not dangerous, and children are back on their feet and running around after two weeks. Mumps, however, shouldn’t be taken lightly – in some rare cases, it can lead to something more serious.

About 3 children in every 100 who get mumps, also get viral meningitis (an inflammation of the coverings of the brain and spinal cord), and in one in 6,000 cases, it can cause encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain itself, which can lead to one or two-sided deafness. Before vaccination, mumps was one of the main causes of deafness in children.

Adolescents tend to feel worse for longer with mumps, and boys are at particular risk, with about 1 in 4 having painful swelling of the testicles, which in rare cases may lead to sterility (although there is no definitive evidence of this). Women who have mumps during the first trimester of pregnancy are also at increased risk of miscarriage.

How to treat your child with mumps

• Let your child rest, and keep them away from school or nursery
• Give paracetamol for pain and fever
• Put a cool flannel over the swollen jaw
• Offer bland, soft pureed foods and, if necessary, give liquids with a straw
• Clean teeth regularly to refresh mouth
• Eating and drinking are most painful, first thing in the morning, so give your child sips of liquid before offering food.

• They become irritable and/or drowsy
• They are reluctant to bend neck
• They have convulsions
• They seem unsteady or confused
• Stomach ache or vomiting

Find out more about MMR:
MMR - Friend or foe?
MMR - Miracle cure or dangerous cocktail?
The MMR minefield