The GPs will be on alert for the symptoms and have to alert health protection teams for all suspected clinical cases. the swab test is to check the rash is defiantly Measles rather than a virus mimicking the symptoms.
DD, the rash is not itchy but the raised fever that goes with it will make a child fretful. Follow GPs advice to keep fever down. TBH that really is the best way to ease the discomfort as measles fever spikes are nasty. If the fever spikes at 40c and will not drop after paracetamol or stays up at 40c or more for a prolonged period or your child starts being so sick they cannot keep fluids down follow the health protections advice to get URGENT extra medical advice and help.
Small kids mostly cope but a few can become very unwell. That is why you have been given the worst case scenarios. It’s just in case your child is the 1 in 1000 who develops more concerning complications from the virus.
My DD could not stand thanks to the fever so I simply used lukewarm water to sponge her down with. Baths, possibly due to movement and reflected light on the water, made her throw up so we stopped trying to do them and stuck to sponging her down. I worked on the theory I could let her have a good long soak when she was a bit better and could cope.
A fan can also help lower a child’s high temperature but if the skin and esp the eyes have become sensitive avoid the fan being direct on your son.
Let them wear pjs inside out if seams are irritating. The rash can be sensitive to seams and that can hurt. DD described it as an itchy burn that was horrible.
I do advise washing all towels, bed linen and clothes your child is in contact with on a hotter wash. This helps reduce the viral load in the houses . Whilst this IS increadible rare Be aware that for some if the viral load is high (like my DD kicked out unknown to me at the time) then it’s possible for an adult who has some immunity to develop a mild case of measles.
Make arrangements for supplies to be dropped off without doing face to face just like in covid. Use FaceTime and so on to stay sane and in contact with others. Measles is even nastier than the first wave of covid and spreads further, faster and will infect eight out of nine people who do not have immunity to it- hence the health protection you walked into this morning.
Keep an eye on your son’s eyes. Most kids with measles will get pink eyes. My DD started pink had to stay out of direct daylight and bright light for ten days after she started to get measles in her eyes. (Image below shared with her permission at the pink stage as she would rather parents knew what to look out for) They started pink then became red and very light sensitive. At that point all light hurt. The GP ordered her to stay in a darkened room to protect her sight. That included carefully ensuring she minimised TV and avoided any brightly lit programs. She took to listening to old radio plays, kids books and comedies instead. Try bbc sounds online for child friendly programs.
The whole send them back four days after the rash appears……ONLY if in all other respects they are well and the school is happy to have them back. DD was off school for four weeks as all she did was sleep anywhere once she started to get better. Her eyes needed that time to readjust and she went back with light reducing glasses, again to protect her sight. She also went back p/t as it wiped the floor with her.
Hoping all goes well for all of you, that your son is merely under the weather rather than very ill and he is back to being himself very soon.