Essay on Mumps: What are its symptoms and treatment?

This is a disease of the children, which affects them between the age group of five to fifteen years. This disease is acutely communicable disease caused by a virus, which has a predilection for glandular and nervous tissues.

Clinically, the disease is recognized by non-supportive enlargement and tenderness of one or both the parotid glands, although other organs may also be involved. The disease may be seen in the students of the Primary schools and the Secondary schools.

This disease is caused due to droplets. These droplets carry the infection from the parotid glands.

This disease continues to trouble from one week to three weeks.

Incubation Period

The incubation period of this disease is 2-3 weeks.

Symptoms and Characteristics

In such a disease the following symptoms appear:

(1) Glands below jaw get swollen and there is a good deal of pain.

(2) In the portion below the ear there is swelling and pain.

Precautions and Care

(1) Such a patient should be kept away from others for about three weeks. It requires quarantine.

(2) A child suffering from this disease should be kept away from other children.

(3) He should be given rest.

(4) Fermentation helps to diminish the pain. Cold should be avoided.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment; children are nursed in bed till the fever subsides and are kept away from school until the swelling is gone.