From the Guidelines
Measles in toddlers typically begins with high fever, followed by the three "C's": cough, coryza (runny nose), and conjunctivitis (red, watery eyes), and progresses in a predictable pattern over 7-14 days, with potential complications including ear infections, pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis, as noted in studies such as 1. The disease can be severe and is most frequently complicated by diarrhea, middle ear infection, or bronchopneumonia, with encephalitis occurring in approximately one of every 1,000 reported cases, and death occurring in 1-2 of every 1,000 reported measles cases in the United States, according to 1. Some key points to consider about measles in toddlers include:
- The incubation period of measles averages 10-12 days from exposure to prodrome and 14 days from exposure to rash, with a range of 7-18 days, as reported in 1
- The risk for death from measles or its complications is greater for infants, young children, and adults than for older children and adolescents, with the most common causes of death being pneumonia and acute encephalitis, as noted in 1
- Toddlers with measles often appear quite ill, with irritability, decreased appetite, and malaise, and management focuses on supportive care including rest, fluids, and fever control, with vitamin A supplementation potentially recommended by healthcare providers, as discussed in general medical knowledge
- Measles is highly contagious, so infected children should be isolated, and vaccination is the most effective prevention method, with the virus spreading through respiratory droplets and remaining airborne for up to two hours, making early recognition and isolation essential to prevent outbreaks, as generally understood in the field of medicine.
From the Research
Symptoms of Measles in Toddlers
- Fever
- Maculopapular rash
- At least one of cough, coryza, or conjunctivitis 2
- Vaccinated individuals can have milder or even no symptoms 2
Progression of Measles
- Complications can affect many organs and often include otitis media, laryngotracheobronchitis, pneumonia, stomatitis, and diarrhoea 2
- Neurological complications are uncommon but serious, and can occur during or soon after the acute disease (eg, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis) or months or even years later (eg, measles inclusion body encephalitis and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis) 2
- Patient management mainly involves supportive therapy, such as vitamin A supplementation, monitoring for and treatment of secondary bacterial infections with antibiotics, and rehydration in the case of severe diarrhoea 2
- There is no specific antiviral therapy for the treatment of measles, and disease control largely depends on prevention 2
Note: The study with reference_id 3 is not relevant to the question about measles in toddlers.