KARACHI, Feb 16: The current spell of season happens is the peak period for mumps and chicken pox.

Dr Mobina Agboatwala, Paediatrics Ward, Civil Hospital, told APP on Saturday that mumps and chicken-pox, normally registered in the city from Dec to March every year, needed proper and careful intervention as improper diagnosis or any other negligence might expose infected children to serious conditions including brain infection.

According to her, both mumps and chicken pox generally afflict children aged between 2 and 6 years and 2 to 13 years respectively can be prevented through timely vaccination.

The paediatrician said that mumps was a once in a lifetime ailment and all children across the board, as a normal course, must be vaccinated at the age of 15 months, to prevent infection.

“The disease manifests it through enlargement of parotid glands coupled with fever and at times severe pain,” she said adding that it must not be misdiagnosed as bacterial infections or mere glandular growth, and the tendency to start with antibiotics should be strictly avoided.

Urging that qualified doctors must be immediately approached for proper examination, she said in case swelling and fever did not subside in three or four days, a follow-up must take place.

Chicken-pox, she said, was often confused with other rashes as measles, allergy or simple impetigo. She said the infection erupts in the form of small vesicles in different parts of the body, initially at the back and cheeks and then starts spreading upwards and downwards.

“Malnourished kids are the most vulnerable group,” she said.

She said chicken pox caused itch and intense scratching might leave marks on the body. Again if it appeared in the form of mouth ulcer it could cause much agony to the patient.

She said chicken-pox generally persisted for a week and then gradually came to an end. Early and proper diagnosis was, however, essential.

She said that kids suffering from any of the mentioned ailments must not mix with other kids, and should be kept from schools till their recovery, as the two infections were extremely contagious.

The paediatrician warned that adults inflicted with the disease are more prone to be exposed to its complications.—APP