What is mumps?

Mumps is a contagious viral infection that can cause painful swelling of the salivary glands, especially the parotid glands (between the ear and the jaw). Some people with mumps won't have gland swelling. They may feel like they have a bad cold or the flu instead.

Mumps usually goes away on its own in about 10 days. But in some cases, it can cause complications that affect the brain (meningitis), the testicles (orchitis), the ovaries (oophoritis), or the pancreas (pancreatitis).

The mumps vaccine protects against the illness. This vaccine is part of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) and MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella [chickenpox]) vaccines. Most children get the vaccine as part of their regular shots. Before the mumps vaccine existed, mumps was a common childhood disease in the United States and Canada.

Symptoms may include:

• Swelling and pain in the jaw. One or both cheeks may look swollen.
• Fever.
• Headache, earache, sore throat, and pain when you swallow or open your mouth.
• Tiredness, with aching in the muscles and joints.
• Poor appetite and vomiting.

It usually takes 2 to 3 weeks to get symptoms after you have been exposed to the virus. This is called the incubation period. Some people who are infected with the mumps virus don't have any symptoms.

If you have more serious symptoms, such as a stiff neck or a severe headache, painful testicles, or severe belly pain, call your doctor right away.

Mumps is usually diagnosed based on symptoms and a history of exposure to the virus. If needed, a blood test can be done to confirm that you have mumps and rule out other illnesses.

The mumps virus can be identified with a viral culture using a sample of urine, saliva, or cerebrospinal fluid. These tests are rarely done.

If you think that you or your child has mumps, be sure to call ahead and explain the symptoms before you go to a doctor's office. It's important to stay away from other people as much as you can so that you don't spread the disease.

In most cases, people recover from mumps with rest and care at home. In complicated cases, a hospital stay may be required.

If you or your child has mumps:

• Take medicine to help relieve fever or headache, if needed. Follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to a baby, follow your doctor's advice about what amount to give. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 because of the risk of Reye syndrome.
• Use ice or a heat pack (whichever feels better) on swollen, painful areas. Put a thin towel under the ice or heat to protect the skin.
• Drink extra fluids to help reduce fever and prevent dehydration.
• Suck on ice chips or flavored ice pops. Eat soft foods that don't require chewing.

Anyone who has mumps should stay out of school, day care, work, and public places until 5 days after the salivary glands first start to swell.

In general, you don't need to separate the sick person from the rest of the family. By the time mumps is diagnosed, most household members have already been exposed.

• Give your child acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) for pain. Do not use ibuprofen if your child is less than 6 months old unless the doctor gave you instructions to use it. Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a serious illness.
• Do not give your child two or more pain medicines at the same time unless the doctor told you to. Many pain medicines have acetaminophen, which is Tylenol. Too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be harmful.
• Keep your child home from school, day care, or other public places until 5 days after swelling of the glands began.
• Put an ice or heat pack (whichever feels better) on the swollen jaw for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Put a thin cloth between the ice or heat pack and your child's skin.
• Have your child suck on ice chips or ice treats such as Popsicles. Give your child soft foods that do not have to be chewed much.
• Do not give your child sour foods or liquids. The salivary glands are very sore during mumps. Eating these foods will usually cause them to hurt more.