by Debra Cornelius

Created on: July 11, 2008

Measles Outbreak is Cause for Concern

Watching the local news and seeing reports concerning measles outbreaks in as many as 15 different states brought the comment from a family member, " So what? It's only measles. We all had measles as a kid and it's no big thing."

Prior to mandatory vaccinations, measles outbreaks were considered almost part of growing up. It was generally taken in stride and dealt with at home more as nuisance which kept slightly ill' children underfoot a few days. The truth is that while most children experience a measles outbreak with little more than a rash, scratchy throat and fever, there are serious complications which can occur, especially in very young children or others with compromised health.

Measles is a very contagious viral infection quickly spread in the same way as the common cold. Since it is a viral disease once you become sick with measles there is no treatment other than letting it run its course.

As the oldest in the family of eight siblings, I remember measles going around' as my mother used to say. Measles outbreaks meant we got a day or two at home for the sniffles' if we had a fever to go along with it. Since the common cold also brought along complaints of scratchy throats, headache and sniffles, getting our temperatures checked was often the final indicator of going to school or staying home for what we considered a play day. The unfortunate drawback was often a temperature didn't show itself until after we were at school , as with many of our classmates, and by that time others were contaminated but wouldn't know it for another 8-12 days .(incubation period after being exposed)

We were fortunate in that out of our family of eight children all becoming sick with measles sometime during their early school years, none of us developed complications. We got treated for fever, scratchy throats and rash with ( at that time ) baby aspirin, ice cream and calamine lotion for the itching rash.

Major measles outbreaks in the 1960's and 70's led to mandatory vaccinations prior to enrolling children in school. Before mandatory vaccinations, most people in the United States contracted measles prior to age 20. After the CDC declared measles non-existent' about ten years ago there has been an growing number of parents refusing to vaccinate their children for fear of rare or non-existent complications that may be brought on by the vaccines. This growing trend against vaccines and immunizations is leading towards an increasing number

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