Babies of all ages can easily catch rubella. The infection spreads very quickly from a sick child to a healthy one. It can be especially unfavorable in infants, as well as from the first days of life.
Reasons for the appearance
The rubella virus is the culprit of the disease in babies. It is quite small and well penetrates various biological barriers. Even during pregnancy a woman with rubella infection can infect her unborn baby through the placenta.
In this case, congenital rubella. It is rare enough. However, in newborn babies, the disease can be relatively difficult. Babies are contagious from birth. Rubella viruses can persist in their blood for a long time. The child remains contagious for several months.
Rubella is also common in babies who are breastfed. Mom is often to blame for this.
If a woman falls ill during lactation, then through breast milk she can infect her baby.
Rubella viruses easily enter the bloodstream, rapidly spreading throughout the body. A few hours after the microbe enters the mother's body, they are already in the milk. Even 6-month-old babies already receiving complementary foods can also easily become infected.
Babies do not fall ill immediately, but after the incubation period. During this time, viruses actively multiply and begin to spread throughout the body, penetrating into the blood vessels and internal organs. Typically, the incubation period for rubella in infants is 3 weeks. In newborn babies, this period can be reduced to 14 days.
During the incubation period, babies practically do not bother. It is quite difficult to suspect a disease at this stage. Some babies may have a fever. However, quite often it rises to a maximum of 37 degrees. Rarely there is slight congestion when breathing. This feature is optional and does not always appear.
The child's behavior is practically not affected. The kids are actively eating, playing with toys as usual, smiling. After the end of the incubation period, a period of skin manifestations begins, which manifests itself quite clearly in rubella.
The main symptoms
The classic manifestation of rubella infection is a rash. The first elements appear on the skin after about 2-3 weeks from the moment of infection.
A rash with rubella infection has the following specific features:
- First appears on the scalp, neck and upper body. On the head, skin rashes are poorly visible if the baby is already growing hair. However, in newborn babies, red spots are well distinguished.
- Spreading from top to bottom. Over the next day from the moment the first appearance of red spots, the rash begins to appear all over the body (in a downward direction). Very quickly, spots appear on the back, abdomen, legs.
- There is no itching. All rubella does not itch. Kids do not comb the spots, often they do not even feel them. The child is practically not worried about anything, but the condition itself can be painful.
- Highest concentration of elements on the inner surface of the forearms and thighs, as well as on the buttocks. This symptom is associated with the peculiarities of the blood supply to these zones. In these places, elements can merge with each other, fancy patterns or designs appear.
- All specks rise above the surface of the skin. On palpation, a rubella rash can be distinguished from healthy skin. The elements protrude a couple of millimeters above the skin surface.
- No red spots on the palms and soles. This is one of the characteristic signs of the disease. The only areas where rubella elements do not appear (due to the structural features of the child's body) are the inner surfaces of the palms and feet.
- The gradual disappearance of the rash without disfiguring scars or scars. In place of the former red spots, only slight peeling remains, which passes very quickly (without the use of special ointments or creams). Lastly, the spots disappear on the legs and the inner surface of the handles.
Usually, the disease proceeds in a classic or typical form. In this case, the sick child must have a rash.
However, in 30% of children, the disease can occur in an atypical form. In this case, there is no rash, but there are other signs of rubella infection. In such babies, two to three weeks after infection, the lymph nodes begin to swell.
The nodes in the occiput are most severely damaged. On examination of the neck, large bumps are visible. When palpating, lymph nodes enlarged up to 1-2 cm can be determined. Lumps in the mandible, armpits, or groin may increase. With such an atypical variant of the disease, a doctor's consultation is required.
Children who suffer from rubella infection are prescribed for therapy:
- Obligatory bed rest. Babies in the first year of life and babies should sleep at least 10 hours a day. During such a rest, the child's body recovers faster and gains strength to further fight the infection.
- Health food. Breastfeeding is not canceled if the mother is vaccinated or has had a rubella infection in childhood. In other cases, it is possible to switch to adapted mixtures for the entire acute period of the disease. Babies who receive complementary foods choose dishes with a more liquid consistency. Mashed vegetable or fruit puree is an excellent choice. Porridge or meat dishes are chosen as the main complementary food. For babies over 10 months old, you can use fermented milk products.
- Drink. To quickly remove all bacterial toxins from the body, the baby should be given more water. You can drink any warm boiled water. For babies from 6 months, fruit juice can be added. Better to choose a drink made from green apples or pears. For older children, you can cook fruit or berry juice, as well as compote. Rosehip decoction is prepared for children over one year old.
- Compliance with the rules of hygiene. To prevent infection of other family members, the child must have his own dishes, towels and personal hygiene products. Textiles should be washed at least 2-3 times a week. If there are several babies in the family, it is imperative to treat toys with special disinfectants.
Rubella infection can be quite dangerous for newborns and babies. Knowledge of the main clinical manifestations of the disease will help mothers to suspect rubella in a child in time and seek medical help. Timely treatment under the supervision of a physician will certainly lead to a complete recovery.
What treatment is prescribed?
Often, newborns and babies are treated in a hospital in the first year of life. When going to make a decision that it is necessary to transport the child to the hospital, the doctor must examine the baby.
As a rule, newborns, weakened and babies with chronic diseases are observed in a children's hospital.
If the child has a disease is severe he is also necessarily hospitalized. In a hospital setting, doctors can provide all the necessary treatment and conduct additional examinations and tests.
Dr. Komarovsky talks about rubella in more detail in his program.
Symptoms and treatment are described in detail in Live Healthy.
