Measles it isn’t just a little rash

Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children.

Measles symptoms typically include:

• High fever (may spike to more than 104°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red and/or watery eyes
• Rash (breaks out 3-5 days after symptoms begin)

Measles can be serious.

Measles can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, swelling of the brain (encephalitis), and death.

• 1 out of 5 people who get measles will be hospitalized.
• 1 out of every 20 children with measles will get pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
• 1 out of every 1,000 people with measles will develop brain swelling, which may lead to brain damage.
• 1 to 3 out of 1,000 people with measles will die.

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE)

SSPE is a very rare, but deadly disease of the central nervous system. It can develop 7 to 10 years after a person has recovered from measles.

You have the power to protect your child.

Provide your children with safe and long-lasting protection against measles by making sure they get the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider.