childhood diseases -
rubella

Rubella – the R in MMR

What is rubella?

Rubella is also known as German measles. It is a mild, highly contagious viral infection, which mainly affects children. Your child will contract rubella by close contact with another rubella sufferer.

Her first symptoms will appear two to three weeks after contracting the disease. She will have a headache, a sore throat and a slight fever. Her neck will swell and feel sore. A rash will appear and tiny pink spots will spread from her face and neck to the rest of her body. The spots will disappear within seven days, but your child will remain infectious for a further three to four days. Very rarely (about 1 in 6000 cases), your child could suffer encephalitis (a swelling of the brain) as a result of rubella.

If your child gets rubella, it usually means immunity from the disease for the rest of her life.

While rubella is generally a very mild disease in children, it can cause foetal abnormalities in up to 90% of babies born to mothers who are infected with rubella during the first three months of their pregnancy. These abnormalities are called the Congenital Rubella Syndrome (CRS) and include impaired vision and hearing, limb defects, mental retardation and heart malformations. Doctors recommend the rubella vaccination for all children to ensure they do not pass on rubella to their mothers or other women who may be pregnant.

Rubella was added to the triple MMR jab to protect susceptible pregnant women from catching the disease off children.

What is the treatment for rubella?

No treatment is usually needed.