Most toddlers get vaccinated against measles between the ages of 12 and 15 months, but children who have not yet received the vaccine can be vulnerable to the disease. Being able to recognize the symptoms and signs of measles in a toddler can ensure he gets medical treatment as soon as possible. Early medical intervention can reduce the symptoms and make the disease less severe.
Early Signs
The first signs of measles appear from seven to 14 days after the toddler is exposed to someone with the disease. Before that point, the virus incubates in the body's cells. Once signs begin to appear, the first symptoms often are mistaken for a mild cold. The infected toddler may have a sore throat, runny nose, persistent cough, inflamed eyes and a mild to moderate fever. These symptoms last two to three days before the characteristic rash of measles begins to appear. Some children develop small white dots on top of red bumps in the mouth before the main rash starts to show up.
Characteristic Rash
After the first mild illness, small red spots begin to appear on the toddler's face, especially along the hairline and behind the ears. Some of the bumps may be raised, and they tend to cluster in tight groups. The skin takes on a blotchy appearance as the clusters of measles bumps grow and spread. The bumps spread gradually downward, covering the full face, neck, trunk, arms and legs. Some toddlers develop a high fever during this phase, up to 105 F, and can experience nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Once the rash subsides, it disappears from the face first and clears up in the same downward pattern that it arrived.
Prevention
Measles can be difficult to avoid because a person is contagious starting about four days before the rash appears. The virus is spread through contact with particles left on surfaces when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and these can stay active for up to two hours. Once the rash has been present for about four days, the person isn't contagious anymore, even though the rash stays around for much longer. The measles mumps rubella, or MMR, vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles, even when a toddler comes in contact with someone who is in the contagious phase of the disease. According to BabyCenter, the number of measles cases in the United States each year has dropped 99 percent since the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963.
Reaction
If you think your child has been exposed to someone exhibiting the symptoms of measles or might be exhibiting the symptoms himself, report it to a doctor immediately. Measles is highly contagious, with up to 90 percent of unvaccinated people in the same household as a measles sufferer becoming infected, according to KidsHealth. A toddler who is not vaccinated might be treated with immunoglobulins if the exposure happened within the previous six days; this can help make the course of the disease less severe. If you get to a doctor within 72 hours of exposure, the doctor might recommend vaccinating the child with one dose of the vaccine to help boost the immune system response and reduce the symptoms. There is no cure for measles, but you can ask your child's pediatrician about medication to ease symptoms. If your child has had the MMR vaccine, the likelihood of contracting measles is low.
