Recently we’ve been hearing a lot about mumps. The outbreak in Iowa at the time I read about it had 245 confirmed cases of mumps reported. Mumps is a viral infection of the parotid and other salivary glands. It is very contagious and spreads through respiratory secretions.

Growing up in the 50’s/60’s I was lucky (Ha!) enough to get the mumps (no vaccine at that time). I was about 6 years old and I remember looking in the mirror and crying. My face and neck were so deformed you could not tell where my chin ended and the neck began.  I remember feeling horrible, hot, achy, and not at all happy. Thanks to my mother’s tender loving care I survived and have lived to tell about the ordeal.

Symptoms:

Chills, fever, lethargy, headache, body aches, pain below the ears, swelling of salivary glands

Complications:

Hearing loss, meningitis (occurs in approximately10% of cases), inflammation of the testes (occurs in 20-30% of male cases), inflammation of ovaries and breasts in females not as common.

Prevention:

The measles/mumps/rubella immunization given between 12-15 months, with a #2 MMR at 4-6 years should prevent the mumps. If mumps occur the patient should be isolated.
The incubation period (time from first exposure to first sins of symptoms is 14-21 days.
The communicability period (time the person is contagious) is from 5 days prior to symptoms to 9 days after symptoms first appear.

Treatment:

Physician diagnosis should be made and disease reported to the health department. Student should remain out of school and on bedrest.  A soft diet is usually recommended, as the throat may be sore. An analgesic may be given to reduce aches and pains.