Measles

Measles

Measles is one of the viral conditions that used to be common in childhood. It is spread from person to person by contact, such as coughing or kissing.

In New Zealand vaccination against measles is free to all children – generally infants are vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) at the same time in an MMR vaccination at 15 months and again between 4 and 5 years of age. This means that most children are no longer at risk of catching this illness.

Outbreaks of measles do occur, and this often spreads rapidly amongst those who were not vaccinated or whose immunity is poor.

In susceptible children and adults, measles at its worst can cause some swelling in the brain, with serious side effects. As this is a viral condition, antibiotics will not treat the virus, but antibiotics may be used to prevent catching a bacterial infection on top of the viral infection.

Symptoms of measles start with fever, cough, sore throat, sticky or itching eyes, and often sensitivity to light. By about the third day tiny white spots with a red circle around them usually appear inside the mouth. Then a blotchy red rash appears, originating around the ears and spreading over the face and down to the body and the limbs.

Treatment is generally by keeping the child inside, away from the light, resting quietly, with (ideally) no other children about. Soft foods are often helpful for the sore throat and give paracetamol if the fever and headaches are bothersome. Cough mixtures are no longer recommended for young children, so using vaporisers or steamy showers may help an annoying cough. Vaporisers are devices that you can buy or hire from pharmacies – they emit warm moist steam that helps to loosen phlegm and soothe an irritated throat.

If the eyes have a coloured or pus discharge then you must see a doctor as a bacterial infection may have developed.

As measles is a contagious disease children who have measles need to be kept away from other children until five days after the rash has disappeared. If there are other children in the family, see if your doctor recommends a booster vaccination for them, or attempt to keep them in a separate room as much as possible to limit contact and the chance of spreading the infection.

Your local pharmacist can give you advice about prevention and treatment of measles. If you are concerned about measles and its implications for your family then your family pharmacist has information and support about what to do in the event of an outbreak of measles or any other infection condition that may affect you or your family.

For more in depth information on measles visit the Health Navigator page here...

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia)

Causes of swallowing difficulties

Swallowing difficulties can happen at any age. There are a wide range of causes for them, including:

some medicines, such as antipsychotics
heartburn and acid reflux
cancer, such as mouth or throat cancers
nervous system or brain disorders
muscle disorders
blockages or structural issues with your mouth, throat or oesophagus.

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties

Symptoms of swallowing difficulties may include:

coughing or choking when eating or drinking
bringing food back up, may be through your nose
the feeling that food is stuck in your throat
having issues chewing your food
problems with dribbling.

Swallowing difficulties can cause weight loss, dehydration and chest infections.

Diagnosing swallowing difficulties

Let your healthcare provider know if you have swallowing difficulties. They will ask you about your symptoms and check if any other health conditions you have may be the cause.

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a specialist for tests. These may include a:

gastroscopy—a camera is passed down through your mouth to look at your throat and stomach
swallowing study—your throat and stomach are x-rayed as you swallow small amounts of food.

Treating swallowing difficulties

How your swallowing difficulties are treated depends on the cause and how severe it is. Treatments may include:

medicines to treat acid reflux
swallowing therapy with a speech and language therapist
making changes to what you eat and drink, such as softer foods and using thickener in drinks
using special spoons, plates and cups
surgery to widen your oesophagus.
using special medication lubricants eg Gloup to help make it easier to swallow tablets etc. For more information click here.

Self care for swallowing difficulties

As well as seeing your healthcare provider, the following tips may help you to get food or liquids into your stomach.

Sit upright in a chair—at a table is best.
Have regular small meals instead of the main large meals.
Eat or drink small mouthfuls at a time.
If your voice is gurgly when you eat or drink, give a small cough to make sure your airway is clear.
Wet food will be easier to swallow as dry food can catch in your throat.
If your food has 2 consistencies, such as fruit in juice and cereal in milk, try to mix it into 1 consistency, or eat the solid and liquid portions separately.
Concentrate on eating and avoid talking.
Hot, ice-cold or fizzy liquids are easier to swallow than room temperature liquids.
If you are told to have thickened liquids, avoid ice-cream and jelly as they thin before swallowing.
Drink from the top half of you cup to avoid tipping your head back.

Have a look at our range of Gloup medication lubricants here which can help with difficulties swallowing tablets...

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