Mumps

What is mumps?

Mumps is a disease caused by a virus. It causes painful swelling of the salivary glands, also called the parotid glands. These glands are in front of and below each ear, near the lower jaw line.

Signs and symptoms of mumps

Common symptoms include:

• swelling of one or both of the parotid glands in front of the ear and crossing into the corner of the jaw
• pain with chewing or swallowing
• cough or runny nose
• headache and muscle ache
• tiredness
• fever
• abdominal (tummy) pain and loss of appetite.

About one in three children will have no symptoms or very mild symptoms.

How the mumps virus spreads

Mumps spreads from one person to another through saliva, coughing, sneezing or even speaking. Mumps can also spread by touch. For example, your child may catch the virus by touching a surface covered with infected droplets and then touching their eyes, mouth or face.

Mumps is very contagious (spreads very easily) from one to two days before the glands start to swell to five days after swelling starts. If your child has mumps, keep them at home away from others, until you are informed that they are no longer contagious.

How mumps is diagnosed

Your child’s health-care provider may suspect mumps by doing a physical exam of your child. To confirm the diagnosis, there are several tests that are ordered, including a blood test, a urine test and a swab of the inside of the cheek. Since mumps is very contagious, children with suspected mumps need to isolate at home while waiting for the test results.

How to prevent mumps

Vaccination is available to prevent mumps. The mumps vaccine is part of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Children receive it in two doses.

• The first dose is given soon after your child's first birthday.
• The second dose is given in combination with the second varicella (chicken pox) vaccine before your child starts school.

Most cases of mumps occur in people who have not been vaccinated or have not received both doses. Ask your health-care provider about the MMR vaccine if you or your child are not immune.

Complications of mumps

Mumps is usually mild in children, but complications can sometimes occur. Serious complications, which are rare, can have a long-lasting effect into adulthood. The only way to prevent complications from mumps is by preventing the infection through vaccination.

• If caught at a young age, mumps can cause deafness in about one out of 20,000 infected children.
• Mumps can damage the brain and central nervous system, which may lead to meningitis, encephalitis or cerebellar ataxia (problems co-ordinating movements). These complications from mumps are more common in adults but they can occur in children as well.
• Mumps can cause swollen testicles (orchitis) in four out of 10 teen and adult males. It is more common after puberty and may involve pain for a number of weeks, swelling, tenderness, nausea, vomiting and fever. Orchitis does not usually affect fertility.

How to care for a child with mumps at home

There is no specific treatment for mumps. You can support your child by trying to make them comfortable.

Monitor and treat the fever

If your child has a fever or is in pain, you may give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Give your child fluids

Offer your child soft foods if they have pain from the parotid gland swelling and plenty to drink to keep them hydrated.

Isolate your child and allow them bed rest

Your child cannot go to school or daycare for five days after their glands start to swell. In Canada, cases of mumps are reported to the nearest Public Health Department. The department will tell you when it is safe for your child to return to regular activities.

When to see a health-care provider

Call your child's regular health-care provider if:

• your child's fever lasts for longer than three days
• the swelling lasts for longer than seven days (in many cases, the other side of the face will swell within a few days of the first side)
• the swelling becomes more painful

Take your child to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911 if:

• they have neck stiffness, severe headache or a change in their alertness or behaviour
• they are not drinking, or you have concerns they are dehydrated

Toronto Public Health (May 2024). Mumps information for health professionals. Retrieved from https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/information-for-healthcare-professionals/communicable-disease-info-for-health-professionals/mumps-info-for-health-professionals/