Mumps

What is mumps?

Mumps is an infection that causes swelling of the parotid glands, which are inside the mouth near the upper teeth and make saliva.

The infection can cause other symptoms, including fever and headache.

A virus causes mumps. This infection is contagious, spread through droplet transmission when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and sometimes through direct contact with infected items.

The mumps virus most commonly affects children between 5 and 14 years of age, but infection can occur at any age. The time from infection to symptoms (incubation period) is usually 16 to 18 days, but ranges from 12 to 25 days.

Treatment / What you should do

If you suspect your child may have mumps, you should consult a physician.

Because a virus causes the disease, antibiotics are not effective. A physician should be consulted if you suspect complications, especially meningitis or orchitis.

You can provide the child with relief of symptoms by giving the child plenty of fluids, medicine to bring any fever down or to relieve pain, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and a warm compress on the cheek where the parotid glands are swollen.

The child should remain in bed and avoid infecting others, especially adult males who have not had the disease or have not been vaccinated.

Encourage your child to drink and offer food that is soft, so that painful chewing is avoided.