Uh-Oh! Charley Got Spots!

Uh-oh! Charley Got Spots!

When the Department of Health (DOH) announces that there is a measles outbreak in NCR, it’s enough to alarm every Mom in the Metro.  In Charley’s playschool alone, a number of Mommies have reported paranoia regarding this illness.

The worrier in me drove me to make several phone calls back home asking whether permanent roommate and I have had measles when we were kids.

What Measles is

Measles is a highly-contagious infection caused by the Rubella virus. Kids with measles will experience high fever (40C or worse) before the rashes appear. Infection may last for several weeks and the best way to protect our little ones is to have them immunized against it.

(Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. Please consult your little ones’ pediatrician for more information.)

Doctor Charley is in! 

Prevention is always better than cure.

We’re glad that Charley’s awesome-ever, Dra. Pam Caedo from Makati Med, is kulit in updating Charley’s MMR + Chickenpox vaccines and booster shots. Although, these are some of the most expensive childhood vaccines, these give us some peace of mind.

In a way.

Since measles is an airborne disease, Charley’s weekend trips to public playgrounds and malls have been limited. We didn’t want to take any chances of her playing with sick kids who are irresponsibly allowed by their parents to play outside with other unsuspecting kids.

We also teach Charley to wash her hands properly with soap and water – a method I learned from an orientation in Makati Medical Center. Call me praning, but everyone in the household is required to wash his or her hands after a trip to the bathroom, before and after eating, and upon getting home from work or school.

Besides Growee (yeah, we’re still hoping Charley would still be taller despite lacking necessary genes from us! J), taking Ascorbic Acid Ceelin Plus with Zinc is a bedtime routine for her, too. I read from health sites (and the leaflet inside the box, yeah I read that, too) that zinc helps protect kids against diseases.

Yikes! My toddler has measles!  

So imagine our horror when Charley had really high fever (41.4 C) over night. When her fever subsided, her rashes (tiny, red spots) on her legs and arms appeared.

My mind flashbacked to places we’ve been to and people (yes, kids and adults alike!) that Charley interacted with for the past week.  We simply could not pin point how and from whom she got measles.

Until somebody just casually mentioned, “Yeah, my daughter got measles, too, when she was playing with Charley since last week.”

Deep Breath

Believe me when I say it took a great deal of effort not to give a death-glare (okay, maybe I did a little).

It helped that Charley was in no way lethargic during that time. I think she was still riding her scooter at home while her mother was figuring out how to deal with the situation. Or why-not-to-unfriend her tita.

My sister-in-law assured me that her kids had measles, too, when they were in grade school. I remember they were less severe probably because they were vaccinated, too.

No scratch zone

We dressed Charley with light, comfortable clothing. At times, she would wear cotton pants so she would not scratch her rashes. Good thing Charley understood that she’s not allowed to scratch her “spots” so they would not be infected.

At times, especially when we went out, Charley would also wear face mask to avoid spreading the virus.

Water Power

Charley took Paracetamol Tempra when she had fever. But even afer her fever had subsided, she drank lots of water, not juice. She would regularly have water-breaks just to make sure she was kept hydrated.

Business as usual

Because Charley did not feel sick much and she was on a “house confinement”, we allowed her to play in the house. Some of her friends were allowed in the house, but with a stern “play-at-your-own-risk” warning to their parents. We disclosed everything to them – 1) Charley had measles, 2) She received her vaccines and booster shots, and 3) We’re doing everything to sanitize the house before, during, and after their visits.

Yeah, that meant we sprayed Lysol in every room. Every time.

We’re glad that Charley’s measles didn’t last long. Nor was it severe.

Some Mommies asked me whether having their kids vaccinated was still worth it since Charley still got measles despite her vaccines and booster shots.

Yes. Yes, it was.