Is Mumps Something I Want My Child to Have?

[~Mari~]

Hello Wise Ones,

Is Mumps one of the things (like Chickenpox) I want my child to have?

We're non-vaxers and one of my son's little friends just came down with Mumps, so we could easily have him exposed. Would that be good?

TIA.

Blessings,

Mari

[mamakah]

I'm not totally sure, but I would think that it would be because then your child will have immunity to it. In "The Vaccine Book" Dr. sears writes :
IS MUMPS SERIOUS?
--no. In fact, most kids who have mumps have some fever and a slight rash but not enough for anyone to worry about or even make a diagnosis.

***He continues to go on about how it can be more serious in teens and adults. so if I were you, I would expose my child. I am not a dr.! and I am relatively new to this vpd research. However, it sounds to me that mumps is like chicken pox in the sense that its not so bad for kids, but rough on adults and pregnant women...

[Multimomma]

I would much rather have my child attain natural immunity than risk having a vaccination wear off after puberty.

My kids have had the mumps, like a cold with funny faces.

[AFWife]

It used to be something that small children tried to get (like we tried to get chicken pox as kids) to get it done while young. I think it's like the other viruses...in the sense that it's going to be rough the older your child gets.

If it were me I'd expose.

[peainthepod]

I'd definitely try. Much better to have it as a child than as an adult, and he'll be immune for life.

[k9sarchik]

Possibly is something that you would like him to get exposed to. My mom was the oldest of nine and only one of her siblings got the mumps. Apparently it is not as easy to catch as is measles.

[chaoticzenmom]

I don't think I'd go for the mumps. It sounds much more serious than other childhood diseases. I'm saying this as someone who did a chicken pox party. I wouldn't willingly do the mumps.

Lisa

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

I don't think I'd go for the mumps. It sounds much more serious than other childhood diseases. I'm saying this as someone who did a chicken pox party. I wouldn't willingly do the mumps.

Lisa

Mumps is generally an incredibly mild childhood disease, except for my cousin who had a rotten case and looked like the man in the moon with a toothache. I don't remember what it was like personally, because it was pretty much nothing.

I would certainly expose my kids if I had the opportunity.

[nia82]

I had mumps in 4th grade for 2 weeks. I had a tootheache and looked like a hamster, but I didn't mind. I mean I was OFF SCHOOL for two weeks - I thought it was awesome!
My entire elementary had it, and not a single complication. that was in 1992.

[JesiLynne]

I would love to have my kids exposed. I know I sound like a nut, but I would much much rather they get it young and be safe as adults. Same thing with measles, we had a small "outbreak" here and I was bummed that my kids weren't exposed.

[Full Heart]

Its usually so mild you might not even notice you have it. My brother had it. He was fine, not even sick. But they made me stay home too. I was so bored! If my kids got it I wouldn't be too worried.

[~Mari~]

Thanks so much. All of this really helps.

I think I'd really like to have my son exposed.

I have an uncle who had it in his early 20's and it left him infertile. That was almost 50 years ago.

MUCH rather go through a few weeks of bumps and fevers than THAT!

Blessings,

Mari

[alegna]

Mumps is incredibly mild. Milder than chickenpox according to everything I've read.

-Angela

[alegna]

Originally Posted by ~Mari~

I have an uncle who had it in his early 20's and it left him infertile. That was almost 50 years ago.

I'd be interested in any details you have or verification. The idea of the possibility of infertility from mumps is so very unlikely that there are NO stats on it.

-Angela

[applejuice]

I had mumps. I was in bed for a week with a temperature and swollen glands in my neck. No problem.

[japonica]

I had mumps in elementary school. Basically 2 weeks off school, sitting around in bed, watching TV.

[rmzbm]

I had mumps as a kid a few times. Never missed school, it was nothing. Really. Didn't even feel sick.

[Plummeting]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

I don't think I'd go for the mumps. It sounds much more serious than other childhood diseases. I'm saying this as someone who did a chicken pox party. I wouldn't willingly do the mumps.

Actually, mumps causes fewer complications than chickenpox. Most people exposed do not even develop parotitis.

Originally Posted by k9sarchik

My mom was the oldest of nine and only one of her siblings got the mumps. Apparently it is not as easy to catch as is measles.

Actually, most people who catch it just don't develop parotitis, which is the swelling most people associate with mumps. Only about 1/3 of people who catch it develop parotitis. It's very unlikely none of her siblings caught it. They probably just had cold symptoms. Back then no one knew that a cold could be the mumps. For instance, an old wives' tale is that you can't catch mumps until you have your 'jaw teeth'. Well, the 'jaw teeth' (molars) come in at age 2. Prior to age 2, mumps infection happens, but almost never causes parotitis. Mumps parotitis happens rarely before age 2, but almost never. So long ago they thought kids couldn't catch mumps before age 2, but in reality they caught it all the time and no one knew it.

I was vaxed for mumps and still caught it as a kid. I was three and I don't even remember it, so apparently it wasn't that bad. I do remember having CP, which I also had when I was three.

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

Actually, most people who catch it just don't develop parotitis, which is the swelling most people associate with mumps. Only about 1/3 of people who catch it develop parotitis.

Yes. I did not develop parotitis. I think the only reason why I diagnosed was because my brother did develop parotitis.

[Emmeline II]

Originally Posted by chaoticzenmom

I don't think I'd go for the mumps. It sounds much more serious than other childhood diseases. I'm saying this as someone who did a chicken pox party. I wouldn't willingly do the mumps.

Lisa

Originally Posted by uccomama

Mumps is generally an incredibly mild childhood disease, except for my cousin who had a rotten case and looked like the man in the moon with a toothache. I don't remember what it was like personally, because it was pretty much nothing.

The Mumps vaccine, like the rubella vaccine, is not given because the diseases are dangerous to children. Mumps is given to prevent its contraction by pubescent and post pubescent males as they could become sterile from orchitis which is an acute inflammatory reaction of the testis secondary to infection. Most cases are associated with a viral mumps infection though other viruses and bacteria can cause orchitis.

20% of pre-pubescent males with mumps experience orchitis; t is rare in post-pubescent males.

Unilateral testicular atrophy (can cause loss of function) occurs in 60% of patients with orchitis.

STDs can also result in orchitis.