Measles
Measles is a illness that can make tamariki and pepi very sick.
It spreads quickly from one person to another through coughing and sneezing. If someone has measles, they may get a fever, a cough, and red, sore eyes.
Measles can be very dangerous, especially for pepi and young tamariki.
The best way to keep our whanau safe from measles is by getting a vaccination.
Symptoms
It takes about 10-12 days for your child to develop symptoms after being in contact with someone with measles.
The first symptoms of measles are similar to the cold or flu, so it may be hard to tell it is measles.
Early symptoms may include:
Fever
Cough
Runny nose
Sore and watery pink eyes (conjunctivitis)
Small white spots on the back inner cheek of the mouth (called Koplik spots).
Day 3-7 symptoms may include:
A rash that starts on the face, behind the ears, and moves over the head and down the body. It can look like pink or red spots or bumps and is not usually itchy. The rash can last a week or more.
If your child has measles symptoms
Stay home. Don’t go to work or send your child to day care or school to prevent the spread of infection
Call PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 or your doctor to check if your child needs to be seen
Don't go to your doctor's clinic without phoning first, because measles can spread easily to others in the waiting room.
