Symptoms of measles in children

Written by Yan Xin Liang
Pediatrics
Updated on August 31, 2024
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Common symptoms of measles in children generally start with a fever. Usually, the onset of measles begins with a fever, followed by catarrhal symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, and excessive tearing, which occur three to five days later. If a rash appears, it usually starts behind the ears and around the hairline with red spots and gradually spreads to the face, torso, and eventually to the entire body including the limbs, as well as the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Additionally, measles can cause spots on the mucous membranes in the mouth and is prone to complications like pneumonia. These are some of the common symptoms of measles. If measles is complicated by pneumonia or severe pneumonia, it is important to take it seriously.

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The difference between Kawasaki disease and measles

Kawasaki disease and measles are different; Kawasaki disease is an acute systemic vasculitis, and infection may be a trigger. Clinically, it presents with fever, rash, enlargement of cervical lymph nodes, conjunctival congestion, cracked lips, strawberry tongue, and edema of the extremities. During the recovery phase, desquamation occurs, and in severe cases, it affects the coronary arteries, leading to coronary artery aneurysms and thrombotic obstruction. Measles, on the other hand, is a viral infectious disease. Clinically, it also presents with fever and rash. The rash typically appears and increases as the fever and body temperature gradually rise. As the fever caused by measles is gradually controlled, the rash gradually subsides. It does not lead to coronary artery aneurysms or thrombotic obstructions.

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What is the difference between measles and leprosy?

Measles and leprosy are diseases with significant differences. Firstly, fundamentally, measles is caused by the measles virus, while leprosy is caused by the leprosy bacillus. Secondly, in terms of the disease course, measles is an acute infectious disease with a rapid onset, whereas leprosy is a chronic infectious disease with a slow onset and disease progression. Lastly, in terms of treatment, measles is mainly treated with antiviral symptomatic therapy, while leprosy is treated with antibiotics and other drugs.

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Symptoms of measles in children

Common symptoms of measles in children generally start with a fever. Usually, the onset of measles begins with a fever, followed by catarrhal symptoms such as a runny nose, sneezing, and excessive tearing, which occur three to five days later. If a rash appears, it usually starts behind the ears and around the hairline with red spots and gradually spreads to the face, torso, and eventually to the entire body including the limbs, as well as the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. Additionally, measles can cause spots on the mucous membranes in the mouth and is prone to complications like pneumonia. These are some of the common symptoms of measles. If measles is complicated by pneumonia or severe pneumonia, it is important to take it seriously.

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Early symptoms of measles in children

The initial manifestations of measles include: First, fever usually moderate or higher, with varying patterns. Second, symptoms of upper respiratory tract inflammation and conjunctivitis. Along with the fever, symptoms such as cough, sneezing, throat congestion, acute upper respiratory infections, conjunctival congestion, tearing, and photophobia can appear. Third, measles mucosal spots, also known as Koplik's spots, are an early specific sign of measles. They usually appear one to two days before the rash, initially located on the buccal mucosa opposite the lower molars as gray-white spots with a diameter of 0.5-1mm, surrounded by a red halo. They rapidly increase in number, extending over the entire buccal and lip mucosa, and may merge. They disappear one to two days after the rash appears. Fourth, other symptoms include general discomfort, decreased appetite, lethargy, and may also include vomiting and diarrhea.

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Difference between infantile acute rash and measles

First, the pathogens: Roseola in infants is caused by human herpesvirus type 6 infection, whereas measles is caused by the measles virus. Second, clinical manifestations: The clinical presentation of roseola includes high fever for three to five days followed by a rash. Typically, by the time the rash appears, the body temperature has already started to decline. The decline of fever concurrent with the appearance of the rash is a major diagnostic feature of roseola in infants. In contrast, measles typically involves high fever for three to four days before the onset of a rash. The rash tends to appear when the body temperature is at its peak, and it takes about 3-4 days for the rash to be fully present. The progression of the rash typically follows a sequence starting from the face, neck, and then the trunk, in a complete order. The primary difference between roseola and measles is the relationship between fever and body temperature: in roseola, the fever subsides and the rash appears after 4-5 days once the body temperature begins to decrease. In measles, the rash appears as the body temperature reaches a peak after 3-4 days of fever. This is the key distinction between roseola and measles.