Mumps is a contagious viral infection that spreads from person to person by coughing and sneezing or through direct contact with saliva or urine. Children who catch mumps may develop flu-like symptoms, such as a fever, tiredness and body aches. Usually they'll also develop swollen glands under the ears or the jaw. Around one in 10 people with mumps will develop meningitis, which is inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord, and one in 10,000 people will develop brain inflammation called encephalitis. Other rare but important complications of mumps infection include deafness, as well as inflammation and scarring of the testes in males, occasionally leading to reduced fertility. Vaccination is the best way to protect your child from the disease. Mumps vaccines available in Australia are combination vaccines that also protect against measles and rubella, and for the 18-month dose, chickenpox. This means your child will be protected against more diseases with fewer injections and with less pain and stress for your child. Under the National Immunisation Program, children should receive the free vaccine at 12 and 18 months for the best possible protection. The vaccine provides immunity to mumps to help prevent your child from getting the disease. It contains a weakened and safe form of the mumps virus, and trains your child's immune system to recognise and protect against the infection. Getting both doses of the vaccine is 90% effective in protecting children against mumps. Vaccination reduces their chances of getting mumps, and if they do get it, they have less risk of serious illness and hospitalisation. Your child may experience mild side effects after the vaccine, which usually disappear within a few days. Common side effects in the first few days after immunisation include redness, swelling and soreness at the injection site. Some children develop fever and a rash five to twelve days later. Paracetamol can be used as directed on the label if your child feels unwell with fever or pain after immunisation. Thankfully, mumps is much less common in Australia since it was added to the Childhood immunisation schedule in the 1980s. Outbreaks do still occur, especially among people who are not immune. This is why we need to keep vaccinating.
In this video, Dr Emma Goeman shares what mumps is and how you can protect your child with free vaccines available under the National Immunisation Program.