The Disease
Recent studies (Dr Peter Mansfield) suggest that the jab is only effective for about 10 years, so infant vaccination could expose teenagers to natural infection at a vulnerable age. Natural infection when very young is more effective and safer for healthy children.
If your child reaches age 9 (girl) or 10 (boy) without catching mumps naturally or has not had the single mumps vaccine, you can accept a dose of MMR vaccine from your GP to provide mumps protection during puberty. For your child MMR will behave exactly like single mumps, since they can rely on continuing protection against rubella and measles. They may also require MMR every 10 years, to maintain mumps protection
Mumps is a viral infection spread by airborne droplets from the nose or throat. However, it is the least contagious of the five major children's diseases and requires close contact before infection can occur. Though small children can get mumps, the disease is most common after the age of two.
The symptoms appear two or three weeks after exposure. Natural infection usually gives immunity for life. Mumps is considered a mild virus and most children recover from mumps with no long-lasting problems. However, in a minority of cases, there can be severe complications, such as deafness and meninigitis.
The most typical symptom of mumps is the swelling of the face and neck. Sometimes the patient may experience headaches, fever and vomitting. In mild cases, hardly any of these may appear.
In men or in teenage boys, mumps sometimes affects the testicles. This infection produces a painful inflammation and swelling of one or both testicles. Only some areas of the testicles are affected, so, it is rare for infertility or sterility to follow an attack of mumps. Teenage girls are at the same ovary risk as boys.
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