Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory infection. Measles is a fairly rare disease in the United States, because most people are immunized against it in early childhood. Although parents often fear that infants are susceptible to measles because they have not been immunized, infants receive their mothers' antibodies to measles, and according to the Merck Manuals, this protection lasts for much of the first year of life. Nevertheless, any suspected case of measles in an infant requires medical attention.
Cold Symptoms
KidsHealth.org reports that a hacking cough and runny nose are two of the first symptoms of the measles infection. These are not unique symptoms of illness so it is not likely that a caregiver will consider measles as the cause at this point.
Fever
A high fever, reaching up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit according to eMedTV.com, occurs with measles. An infant with a fever between 100 and 102 degrees should receive immediate medical attention.
Fatigue
The infant will be tired with measles. When the fever is rising the baby may become even more lethargic and appear to have body aches. A caregiver can recognize body pains in an infant by looking for back arching, withdrawing from being held or crying despite being comforted.
Eye Redness
The Mayo Clinic points out that conjunctivitis, or eye inflammation, occurs with the measles infection. In an infant this can be seen by the eyelids being swollen and red, the eyes being red and the infant appearing to be sensitive to light.
Measles Rash
The most characteristic symptom of the measles is the rash that develops. KidsHealth.org describes the beginning markers of the rash as Koplik's spots, or small red spots with blue-white centers that appear inside the mouth. One or two days later the measles rash will appear over the body. This rash will be red or reddish brown and appear more blotchy. It begins on the forehead and spreads down the body covering the face, neck, torso, arms and feet. The website eMedTV.com points out that the measles rash occurs about 14 days after initial exposure to the virus and lasts about five or six days.
