What is Mumps in Children

Mumps is an illness that is caused by a virus (paramyxovirus). The illness often causes flu-like symptoms and swelling of the salivary glands that lie between the ear and the jaw (parotid glands).

The virus can spread from person to person (is contagious). It is most common in children who are 5–15 years old.

Mumps is usually a mild illness. Most often, children get better in about 10 days. Having your child vaccinated is the best way to prevent mumps. Children usually get mumps only if they have not received the vaccine.

What are the causes?

This condition is caused by a virus that can be spread through:

• Direct contact with an infected person.
• Breathing in tiny droplets that an infected person coughs or sneezes into the air.
• Touching something that was recently contaminated with the virus, and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or eyes.

What increases the risk?

This condition is more likely to occur in children who have not been vaccinated.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition usually develop 2–3 weeks after your child has been exposed to the virus. Symptoms include:

• Painful swelling of the parotid glands, on both sides of the jaw. The swelling usually occurs over several days, and it often begins on one side. The swelling goes away in about a week.
• Muscular aches and pains.
• Fever.
• Headache.
• Ear pain.
• Nausea and occasional vomiting.
• Pain in the abdomen.
• Loss of appetite.
• General tiredness (malaise).
• Poor appetite.

Mumps can sometimes lead to other problems, such as pain and swelling of the testicles in boys.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on:

• A physical exam.
• Your child’s medical history.
• Blood tests.
• Swabbing the throat and testing it in a lab.

How is this treated?

There is no cure for this condition. However, treatment may be done to relieve symptoms. Your child’s health care provider may prescribe or recommend medicines to help reduce pain or fever. The illness often goes away on its own in about 10 days.

Follow these instructions at home:

Medicines

• Give over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your child’s health care provider.
• Do not give your child aspirin because of the association with Reye’s syndrome.

Eating and drinking

• Have your child eat soft foods to help reduce pain from chewing.
• Avoid giving your child food and fluids that are acidic. Acids foods will upset the stomach and worsen mouth pain by stimulating the parotid glands. Examples include:
  • Orange juice.
  • Tomatoes.
  • Products that contain vinegar.
• Have your child drink enough fluid to keep his or her urine pale yellow.

Activity

• Have your child rest until he or she feels better.
• Do not let your child go to school or day care. Keep your child at home for at least 5 days from the day the glands began to swell, or for as long as told by the health care provider.

Managing pain, discomfort, and swelling

• If told, apply ice to your child’s jaw area to help reduce pain and swelling.
  • Put ice in a plastic bag.
  • Place a towel between your child’s skin and the bag.
  • Leave the ice on for 20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
• If told, apply heat to the affected area. Use the heat source that your child’s health care provider recommends, such as a moist heat pack or a heating pad.
  • Place a towel between your skin and the heat source.
  • Leave the heat on for 20–30 minutes.
  • Remove the heat if your skin turns bright red. This is especially important if you are unable to feel pain, heat, or cold. You may have a greater risk of getting burned.

General instructions

• Take steps to prevent the infection from spreading:
  • Wash your hands and your child’s hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer.
  • Have your child stay away from other people as much as possible until he or she gets better. Make sure that your child stays away from pregnant women and people who have not had their full course of vaccines.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your child’s health care provider. This is important.

How is this prevented?

• Mumps can be prevented with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Contact a health care provider if your child:

• Has a hard time swallowing or opening his or her mouth.
• Has weakness.
• Has pain or swelling in the testicles.
• Keeps vomiting.
• Has pain in the abdomen.
• Has ringing in the ears or problems with hearing.
• Has a fever.
• Has symptoms that do not improve within 7 days.

Get help right away if your child:

• Has a seizure.
• Becomes confused.
• Is very sleepy or is hard to wake up.
• Has severe neck pain or a stiff neck.
• Has a severe headache.
• Has new hearing loss.
• Is younger than 3 months and has a temperature of 100°F (38°C) or higher.

Summary

• Mumps is an illness that causes flu-like symptoms and swelling of the salivary glands. These glands lie between the ear and the jaw (parotid glands).
• Mumps is caused by a virus.
• Most often, children get better in about 10 days.
• Having your child vaccinated is the best way to prevent mumps.