Preventing Measles for Children

There are several childhood diseases that have been dramatically reduced or eliminated from the public over the last 50 years, including measles. Between 1978 and 1981, measles cases decreased by 80 percent in the U.S. due to the widespread use of the measles vaccine.

However, since 2015, some communities across the U.S. have seen a decline in childhood vaccination rates. At the same time, there has been an increase in the number of measles outbreaks, including one in Texas this winter.

Steven Schulz, MD, is the Rochester Regional Health Primary Care Institute Pediatric Medical Director and explains how measles spreads, how the disease is treated, and how to prevent measles.

Diagnosing and treating measles

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can lead to serious health complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, especially for young children under the age of 5. The disease spreads through the air with coughs and sneezes and can linger in a room up to 2 hours after the infected person has left.

Symptoms start to show up within 7-14 days of exposure to the virus and include:

• non-itchy rash (first inside the mouth, then on skin)
• bumps
• cough
• high fever (as high as 104º)
• runny nose
• red, watery eyes

Measles is diagnosed through a blood sample and throat swab. Once someone tests positive, there is no antiviral treatment for the illness. Only symptoms or resulting bacterial infections can be treated.

“Isolating the patient for 4 days is the current recommendation from the CDC,” Dr. Schulz said. “Otherwise, we treat any symptoms like fever, cough, or runny nose with over-the-counter medications to provide relief from these symptoms.”

According to CDC data, 20-40 percent of measles patients are hospitalized due to various health complications, so healthcare providers will offer treatments there as needed.

Preventing measles

Getting two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most effective and common way to prevent measles, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing measles,” Dr. Schulz said. “Once you get those two doses as a child, you are protected for the rest of your life.”

Some people suggest vitamin A can reduce the risk of severe illness or death due to measles. However, scientific studies supporting this outcome were done on malnourished patients in low-income countries. It is important to note that vitamin A does not prevent measles.

“While vitamin A has some potential benefit in preventing complications from measles, it does not prevent measles from developing in the first place,” Dr. Schulz said. “Why risk potential serious complication or death from measles when we have the ability to prevent the disease from ever developing in the first place?”

The MMR vaccine has been studied extensively, as well, and is proven not to cause measles or result in death. Popular claims about its link to autism diagnoses have also been proven wrong multiple times, including frequently cited studies being retracted.

The most effective way to prevent measles is the MMR vaccine. Ask your child’s pediatrician or your own primary care provider about the proper schedule for the vaccine.