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Symptoms Of German Measles In Children
German measles is also known as Rubella and it is an infection that usually affects the lymph nodes and skin. German measles is caused by the rubella virus and the illness is high contagious and spreads from droplets that an infected person coughs or sneezes out. A pregnant woman can pass on German measles to her unborn child through the bloodstream and the child ends up developing congenital rubella syndrome.
German measles infects usually young non-immunized children and it is characterized by mild fever for 1 or 2 days. Fever ranges from 99 to 100° Fahrenheit and it is accompanied by tender and swollen lymph nodes at the back of the neck or behind the ears. After this a rash begins to appear on the face and gradually spreads downwards. As the rash spreads down the body, it clears up from the face. It is with the appearance of rash that parents realize that children are not feeling well.
However, German measles rash looks like a rash from many other viral fevers. The rash is either pink or light red in color which may ultimately merge to form evenly colored patches. The rash is usually itchy and it lasts for around 3 days after which it starts clearing up. When the rash starts clearing up, the skin also starts shedding in the form of fine flakes.
Other symptoms of German measles in children are headaches, loss of appetite, mild conjunctivitis, runny nose, painful and swollen joints, and swollen lymph nodes in other parts of the body. However, many children might end up with just a few or no symptoms other than fever and swollen lymph nodes.
Children who get infected by German measles before birth have the risk of growth retardation, deafness, spleen, liver and bone marrow problems, and malformation of heart and eyes.
