If you suspect your child has measles, contact his pediatrician or your family doctor immediately so she can confirm or reject the presence of the measles virus. If measles are present, she will give your pointers on how to care for your child in order to avoid complications. She will also notify the health authorities so they can track childhood immunization and measles outbreaks to prevent an epidemic.
Gamma Globulin injections are not effective if symptoms of the measles virus have begun to appear. Antibiotics are not effective. The disease has to run its course naturally. Keep your child as comfortable as possible and administer plenty of clear fluids and has plenty of bed rest.
If your child has measles, he will be more susceptible to bacterial infection of the ears and lungs. If this occurs, his doctor will prescribe antibiotics to treat the bacterial infection.
Call the Doctor
Call your child’s pediatrician or your family doctor if your child is exposed to the measles virus, or if you suspect that he has measles. If your child is still in infancy and has been exposed to measles, contact your doctor immediately. This is also important if your child is on medication that depresses the immune system, or if he has cancer, tuberculosis, HIV, or any other disease that affects his immune system.
Ask your doctor to give you pointers on what to watch for if your child becomes infected with the measles virus. Notify her if your child’s temperature worsens or if he develops an earache. These can be warning signs that your child has a bacterial infection and that antibiotics should be prescribed.
If your child experiences breathing difficulty, breathing that is rapid, or mucus that is discolored, a cough that lasts for more than five days, or if his lips or nails turn blue or gray, call the doctor immediately.
Other symptoms that need immediate medical attention include severe drowsiness, severe headache or a stiff neck. If your child loses consciousness, has a seizure, a convulsion or has difficulty waking, call 911 immediately.