Urgent I think my son has measles

[suss]

DS is 12 months and has had quite a high temperature over the past few days, and dropped yesterday pm, he has been completely miserable with diaorrhea (apologies for spelling). Today a rash appeared on his chest,back, behind the ears and a little on his face. Has anyopne experiences measles and does this sound like it? Don't really want to call out the doctor if its german measles!

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culd it be heat/viral rash?

if he has measles i think he'll have spots in his mouth as well.

sounds like it could well be. has he been in contact with measles?

He should have white spots on the inside of his cheeks if it is measles. Also, my ancient medical book says he should feel better than he has been once the spots emerge.

TBH, I would get the doctor out.

Is the rash flat or raised?

My dd had measles, it is a notifiable disease so call your doctor and explain
It is almost always accompanied by a sky high temp
my dd was 43 degrees, a dry cough
Her white spots had virtually disappeared by the time she was dx'd but they take a swab to confirm.
Her rash was only on her trunk rising up to behind her neck

no contact with measles that I know of, and yes he has had a dry cough but that seems to have gone too now the rash has arrived, he seemed a little better as well but still v clingy. his eyes are not red, but a little red ringed and a bit puffy. haven't looked for spots in mouth, but I haven't seen any either. DS is in bed asleep as he is completely exhausted and don't really want to wake him unless necessary hence the stupid questions!

I have no idea where he could have got it from - penny dropping - we went away for a couple of days to a hotel with lots of children - if DS is asleep I will call Doctor in am, as there is nothing they can do tonight poor little man. i had measles really badly when I was 12 and am short sighted as a result I was determined he would have the MMR! Thank you for all your quick replies it means a lot to me esp as DH is in Japan on Business and I can't get hold of him so thank you thank you thank you everyone.

Suss, two weeks ago my dd had a viral infection that sounds very similar to this --- fine, lacy rash over her trunk, puffy eyes, horribly high fever that dropped after 4 days, and diarrhea as well. She also developed a secondary ear infection, poor mite. She was really ill, but once the fever went down, things improved very quickly. Hope DS feels better soon.

I doubt they would come out for measles - they make you go in. Apart from notifying them (and half the time they're not that interested tbh- and you can do that in the day- no need to drag a sick child out of bed) you don't need to see a dr for treatment for measles unless you suspect complications (such as an ear infection). Of course always see if worried but as my family health book from 1989 says measles is usually mild and self limiting.

Measles starts on the forehead and works down. Usually there is a barking cough that accompanies it, and often runny eyes. The white Koplik spots inside the mouth are diagnostic (look like grains of salt with a red surround), but may be gone my the time the rash shows.

Oh at 12 months unlikely to be measles if you had it- should still have immunity (that's why you're better off waiting until at least 15 months before giving MMR), lots of viral illnesses produce rashes at this age. Docs call them NSV's (non specific viral illnesses).

With german measles I thought the temperature is usually quite low, and the rash light. So if it's a high temperature that came down once the rash appeared it might be measles. Not everybody gets the koplik spots in the mouth, and they usually disappear too once the rash is there, so you might not see them tomorrow morning. Remember not to panic, measles can be serious, but doesn't have to be at all. I think the health services like people to be afraid of measles/mumps/rubella so they have their jabs. But certainly rubella is very mild, mumps is not very nice but complications are very rare, and measles is perhaps the most "dangerous" of the three, but the vast majority of children get better without any complications. Hope he'll be better soon, the poor little thing. (Should do, now that the rash is there). Best of luck!

oh, and also, there are many unidentifiable viruses that cause a rash as well, so it might not be measles too. Just take him to the GP tomorrow, but tell them you think it might be measles, because they might want to receive you separately, i.e. not in the waiting room.

Not saying its impossible lockets- just unlikely if the mother has had it. Unlikely to be serious at 11 months if the mother has had it. ( more likely if the mother hasn't had measles, but suss said she had).

When dd got rubella we were asked to go into casualty.

Ds2 got mumps three years after his MMR. Nothing is set in stone it seems.

I think it has to be recorded.