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.

Bloody hell Spider-glad you all survived intact! There's a measles 'epidemic' here in Wales. DD is currenly unvaccinated, the Nurse at the clinis rang me up to 'remind' me about the MMR - sigh!

'place to be' was the name of a PR campaign for where I think Spidermama lives. I remembered the campaign tag line - it was ironic for me as I moved away that year (to a place far less interesting alas).

I guess so Elibean. With such a little child it was just horrible and so stressful. Mind, not sure I'd want to go through it with DD now either, depsite her being 7.

My youngest is four Kalo. Their eyes were swollen and very, very sensitive so they needed to be in dark, quiet rooms. They didn't even want telly - just to lie down and keep their eyes shut. I read books to them and put on story tapes. Sometimes even that was too much.

My house has never been so calm and quiet.

A definite sign they're on the mend - they've started arguing again, all be it in slightly pathetic whispery tones.

Also my four year old has just drawn a picture for the first time in a week.He normally draws several a day.

glad to hear everyone's on the mend, spidermama.

Sounds horrendous. Well done on looking after them all on your own.

I have to say though your OP just makes me relieved that my DDs are vaccinated.

What a tough time you have had Spidermama - glad there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks so much for all your supportive comments. I could cry with gratitude I really could. It's been such a tough time and I felt so fragile on the school run.

This is not the place for a vax debate. Glad they're all on the mend now and hats off to you for getting through it with DH away.

I think you are amazing getting thru it without resorting to ranting and raving TBH!!

I have had all my five ill with streptococcus all at the same time one july.......was horrible, and that was nowhere near what you have described with yours. Apart from the hidious vomiting, the worse thing was the fact that they were all lined up like little zombies on the sofa's with no energy bar that to lift their drinks.

the relief when they started argueing again was HUGE, and I never ever thought I would say that

lol Sonnet

light at the end of the tunnel

geddit

you gotta laugh at that one spider

Just a quick reminder... plenty vitamin A is needed in order to protect the eyes during measles. I understand that those with low vit A levels are the ones more liable to eye troubles. All the best.

Hats off to you, and well done on nursing them through it. My poor mother nursed 5 of us through whooping cough back in 1977. I think she didn't actually sleep for a month. We have lifelong immunity to WC and Rubella thanks to getting them as children. My younger siblings also got mumps which they are also immune to (we two older ones were I suspect, vaccinated against mumps and measles at the same time and never got them).

BTW, does anybody see major problems with getting measles and mumps in teenage rather than as children? I am seriously thinking about having the children vaccinated since they are now 11, 14 and 15 and have never had any of the MMR illnesses.

Oh, and I second the vitamin A thing- the evidence I read seemed to suggest that eye damage is more likely to occur in malnourished children with inadequate levels of vit A.

Well, I'm not here to criticise OP's choices (I don't really care about them).
But reading about her experience has convinced more than ever that I am glad I have vaccinated DC.

• Make note to self to Nag surgery about why DC4's MMR has been so delayed.

tons of carrot, ginger and apple juice... gives you lots of beta carotene, which your body turns into vit a. Also immune boosting and anti viral... if you can persuade your LO's to drink it

Very emotional post spider and one that makes for thought provoking reading. Thank you for providing another perspective and I'm glad they're all on the mend and getting better.

((spider)) reading books and telling stories in the dark for hours and hours...aren't you a lovely mum. Hence the bondedness, I would think.

You must be exhausted.

Awwww thanks girls.

Well done for getting through intact

One Christmas the four of us had measles followed by chickenpox, then flu.

Our poor mother must have been exhausted!

Mangoes are good for getting vitamin A in your children.

well done spider on surviving.

Reward yourself when you get the chance.

Re the tooth enamal thing, DD1 had chicken piox when her backl teeth were coming through. They formed with weak enamel and were always decaying, so she had to have them all out when she was five.

Glad your kids are all ok. They were very lucky.

sorry your kids have been so poorly with it. DS got measles just before Xmas (he had first MMR but not booster), and wasn't particularly unwell at all, sounds like he was very lucky.

Poor you, Spidermama - and having to cope without dp to help as well. I'm glad you posted (brave woman), glad that the kids are all on the mend, and frankly angry and horrified to hear that the school run has been a horrid experience for you. What an uncivilised society we live in.

I'm glad you are all feeling bonded together, that's so great.

I fully blame the government for the current situation in that they have destroyed public confidence in their advice by their actions.