MEASLES - Any public health/occ health bods around?? Help!

[PinkPussyCat]

DS has been off-colour, had a temperature for a couple of days, yesterday a few spots appeared on his tummy and looked very much like it was going to be chicken pox. He's 23 months.

However, on getting up this morning the rash looked very different and dh is pretty certain it's measles (he's a dr). So far we have given ds calpol and piriton and we are applying pox-clin cooling mousse. Is there anything else we should be doing? He had his MMR at around 15 months.

The other problem is that neither dh nor I have had measles, we both work in a hospital and are now worried that we pose a risk to patients. As it's a saturday I'm guessing there won't be public health/occupational health around to contact... or will there??

Any advice would be appreciated.

If the rash has come out then you have already been exposed. So i would think that you need to inform your employers that your son has measles.

I didn't know you could get measles after vaccination.

Dd had it when she was about a yr old in the same week she had been booked in for her mmr, how unlucky! She was very poorly, in hospital.
Wishing your son better soon, tis a horrible illness. x x

I would contact nhs direct,they would beable to direct you to the right place for advice.
I suppose occ health and hospital mgt are all shut today.Otoh may have some info if you phone them.

Did you work yesterdau?
Incubation period?

idrank - yes like everything the vax is not 100%. Your poor dd was very unlucky getting it at that age

ggirl - I haven't been at work since last sunday. Think the incubation period is 10-14 days. Will look on NHS direct site...

OK bumping now for any practical tips... for example someone told me to put bicarb in the bath for chicken pox - is there something like that for the measles rash? Poor ds VERY itchy and distressed.
Thanks

I do recall someone saying vitA was good for helping recovery from measles and that there is vit A in butter.

not for itching

can you give an anti-histamine

PinkPussycat I'm loath to question your DH's Dx but when ds2 had measles it didn't start on his tummy, it starts on the forehead/behind ears and spreads downwards. Also it does not generally itch, and certainly doesn't look anything like chickenpox to start with.

I'd try to get a second opinion and also perhaps have him swabbed for HPA as it is notifiable.

HTH xx

Measles is a notifiable disease isn't it? If I were you I'd ring your OOH GP service for the doctor to visit your child. He/she will be able to confirm the diagnosis, inform the relevant authorities, and give you the best advice as to how to treat.

Hope it's not measles for your LO's sake, but good luck.

Thanks to all for your replies, BionicleBill - ds did have a redness behind both ears this morning, forgot to mention it.
The rash actually changed hour by hour, redness behind ears disappeared, it moved to his body then arms then legs. So we're actually now thinking it's slapped cheek!

He's just gone up to bed now. I'm praying that he sleeps! What a day.

Clinical signs compatible with measles are fever and rash with one or more of the following: cough, head cold, or conjunctivitis. Cough is very common in children. Rash starting on head and moving downwards is also common in measles, but measles rash is fine and angry-looking (as opposed to chickenpox which is individual spots that turn into vesicles (small blisters)).

Only secure way of diagnosing measles though is to have an oral swab taken at GP which is sent to the HPA for laboratory testing.

Vitamin A is helpful in recovery from measles but at doses far higher than you'd get from food sources.

By the way PP: good opportunity for you and your DH to get your MMR done ASAP from hospital Occy Health.

Would it be a good idea to check if OP and her DH are already immune to mumps and rubella before having the MMR?

Having the MMR wouldnt harm, even if you were immune to part of it.

Indeed. No point in testing unless there's contra-indications for vaccine.