Rubella and measles should not be confused, although both viral diseases have very similar symptoms. The best way to prevent rubella remains vaccination. If your baby has been infected with rubella because he was not yet vaccinated, here is how to treat him.
1. Causes of rubella in babies
The article Rubella, published by the Mayo Clinic, explains that rubella is caused by a virus. Although it shares symptoms with measles, it is not the same virus that causes rubella and measles. The virus is spread from one individual to another through fluids from the nose and throat of an infected person. So the sick person infects other people when they cough or sneeze. An adult can become infected with rubella by, for example, touching the infected mucus of their child with rubella, or by blowing their nose. The rubella virus can also spread from a pregnant woman to her unborn baby through the bloodstream. If an infant is born infected with rubella in uterodoctors estimate that it will be contagious until the age of 1 year.
The period of contagion for rubella is rather long: in fact, an individual infected with the rubella virus is contagious seven days before the characteristic rash appears. And it will still be contagious a week after all the rubella spots have disappeared. This explains why a person with rubella can pass the virus to a baby without knowing it.
Rubella cases are more common in late winter and early spring. However, in France, thanks to vaccination coverage, the virus is no longer circulating, as the file specifies. Rubella, published by Public Health France and updated on April 21, 2022. However, a baby can contract rubella if he comes into contact with a person with rubella before he has been vaccinated. If you must travel with your child to countries where cases of rubella are common, consider having them vaccinated before your departure. If you have had rubella in the past, you are immune to this disease for life. However, it is recommended to check it with serology if you are planning to become pregnant, given the risk of serious complications for the fetus if you contract rubella while you are pregnant.
2. Symptoms of baby rubella
The folder Rubella, published by Public Health France, indicates that the rubella virus causes a moderate fever, around 38.5°C, and a rash which begins on the face then quickly spreads to the chest, back and arms . In babies and young children, rubella is more difficult to detect because the rash is often very mild, barely visible. On the other hand, rubella is accompanied, in toddlers, by respiratory symptoms: cough, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, red eyes. In pregnant women, rubella is a disease to be taken seriously: it can lead to miscarriage or congenital malformations in the unborn baby.
3. How to treat rubella in babies?
The article Rubella treatment, published on the Government of Canada website, specifies that there is no treatment for rubella: this disease disappears on its own in about a week. See your doctor for a diagnosis. Next, make sure your baby gets plenty of rest and drinks enough water to avoid dehydration. If he cries due to fever, ask your doctor what dosage of paracetamol you can give him.
4. How to prevent rubella?
The best prevention against rubella remains vaccination, as recalled in the file Rubella, published by Public Health France. The MMR vaccine (for measles-mumps-rubella) is administered in France to children from the age of 1 year. A booster dose is injected when the baby is 16 to 18 months old. This is a compulsory vaccination: a child over 1 year old who is not vaccinated against rubella will not be able to be admitted to nursery, school, daycare, or even to summer camp, in depending on his age. If your child is under 1 year old and contracted rubella from his or her childminder, for example, keep him or her at home until he or she recovers, approximately 5 to 7 days after the rash appeared. Make sure not to put your child in contact with an unvaccinated or unimmunized pregnant person. Wash your hands and wash your hands regularly. Use paper tissues to blow his nose, and throw them in the trash.
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⋙ Measles epidemic: how to know if you are protected?