My four children have measles.

[Spidermama]

I'm almost at the end of it now.

My 7 year old got it first and was ill throughout half term. The other three have just had the week off school with it and are still loafing around on the sofas at the tail end.

We've lived like vampires in darkened rooms.
During the worst days (probably about 2 days per child) I had to carry them upstairs to the toilet, hold bottled water to their mouths to get them to drink, and DS2 didn't eat anything for four whole days.

We're on the home stretch now and they just need fattening up. It has been a very bonding, intense experience and I'm really glad they have now got natural, lifelong immunity.

I hesitated before starting this thread. I have talked about my childrens measles on the vax thread but I wondered if I could have a measles thread which didn't turn into a vax debate. I also thought the subject deserves a thread of it's own because it's a really big deal for me.

None the less this is such a full on, eminal parenting moment for me, I would hate to let it pass without sharing it with MN. It would feel somehow wrong, like concealing stuff from my family almost.

So DS3 bounced back very quickly. He was flat out and barely able to whisper one day - the next je was out on the trampoline in full gold cape superhero gear. DD1 is also bouncing back nicely. DS2 and DS4 are a bit slower but showing improvement by the hour.

DH is away by the way so I'm here on my own.

Thank you. You are v brave to share like this.

Sorry you've had a rough week, I think you've done the best possible thing.

It seems my DD, 11 months has measles. I have 2xDS who both go to school. I'm worried about getting them to and from school/nursery because I don't want to pass this on to anyone else. What does everyone else do in this situation?

Also she twitches, but very occasionally. NHS Direct is really busy - urgent calls only. Ideas, anyone?

Lagaan what makes you think she might have measles?

Spider - Unwell, catarrh and temperature since Wednesday night, today a red rash all over behind ears, tummy, back, nappy area, scalp. It's not very dense but gradually getting worse. Oh yeah, and a red eye.

Could well be. Is there an outbreak in your area?

As for sending your DSs to school, I would say that if she has got measles they're very likely to get it, certainly if they are unvaccinated. If they're vaccinated the theory is they won't get it and certainly they're much less likely to so they wouldn't carry it to school with them.

Lockets can I ask you about your dd's ear thing? My dd says she has a sore ear.

Lagaan my kids had a distinctive barking dry cough rather than what you describe.

The rash for measles is pretty dramatic.

Well, my worry is mixing with people as I go into nursery to collect DS2 and at the school gate for DS1. It's really contagious, isn't it?

Haven't checked her cheeks, it would wake her up right now, but certainly they're behind her ears and everywhere else you'd expect them to be.

I'm not sure about our area, if I could get through to NHS direct they might be able to tell me.

Am about to go to bed for another totally sleepless night. Am grumpy .

Spider - will give a progress report tomorrow. Night night.

Night night lagaan. I hope you get some sleep.

Lockets I may take her to the doc to have a look at her ears tomorrow in case there is an infection and she needs ABs. I'll see how she feels in the morning.

Lagaan - do you drive to nursery/school? can you run in and leave DD in car? or if you walk can you arrange to drop them off a bit early or late so there won't be any one else around?

nappyaddict - I walk, but that's just what I've done - arranged to pick up late/early.

Have an appointment at 2pm. It might just be an unspecified viral infection. Hope so, because I feel a huge responsibility not to pass it on.

Hiya

If anyone hasn't heard of vaccine (MMR specifically) damage and doesn't understand our dilemma as parents, here's just one example of a parent's story,
www.jabs.org.uk/pages/main.html

You're scared if you vax and scared if you don't. So far I haven't. Gulp.

xxx

Japan has had a huge outbreak of measles due to low vaccination rates and has had quite a few deaths as a result, unfortunately.

Japan gives single jabs but there was a largish outbreak in 07-08 and various countries gave warnings to travellers

a vague bit here explaining but a search for 'japan and measles' will give you lots of info

Japan Times: "The government may not achieve its target of eliminating measles outbreaks by 2012, as fewer youths than necessary have been vaccinated under a five-year program, according to a health ministry survey released Friday. About 11,000 people contracted measles in Japan in 2008."

outbreak of measles in Japan has led to the closure of more than a hundred schools and universities in the past month and to calls for a new push to eradicate the virus completely. Japan is one of the few industrialised countries yet to eliminate the disease. BMJ 2007: "An outbreak of measles in Japan has led to the closure of more than a hundred schools and universities in the past month and to calls for a new push to eradicate the virus completely. Japan is one of the few industrialised countries yet to eliminate the disease."

Sorry BMJ Link