Helps Manage Measles in Children
Measles is a viral infection that affects children. Also known as rubeola, it is easily transmitted and can be serious, if not fatal, in young children. The measles virus is airborne and can be spread by sneezing and coughing and through direct contact with the nose or mouth of an infected person. Measles can spread quickly, infecting four to five people in an average household. While global death rates have decreased with children given the measles vaccine, the disease still causes over 200,000 deaths yearly, most of whom are children.
The symptoms of measles typically develop 10 to 12 days after exposure, when a red blotchy rash appears on the face and neck. Patients may also have a high fever and cough. Other symptoms may include inflamed eyes or conjunctivitis, runny nose, watery diarrhea, muscle pain, and light sensitivity.
Since vitamin A is essential in immune function, vitamin A deficiency affects the severity of the disease and the mortality rates associated with measles. Vitamin A deficiency has been linked to severe measles complications and mortality in children in low to middle-income countries, slowing recovery and supporting xerophthalmia. Additionally, corneal ulceration can develop and cause blindness in the worst-case scenario.
