Key points
- Mumps can lead to serious conditions like encephalitis (swelling of the brain) in some children.
- Doctors recommend that your child get 2 doses of MMR for best protection against measles, mumps, and rubella.
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Mumps
More than just swollen glands
Mumps can be dangerous
[Illustration of head profile with brain and ear]
Before there was a vaccine, mumps was one of the most common causes of:
Deafness and meningitis (infection of the brain and spinal cord covering) in childhood.
Mumps can also lead to encephalitis (swelling of the brain) in some children.
Symptoms of mumps
[Illustration of young child with text and arrows pointing to various parts of the body]
Fever
Headaches
Swollen glands under the ears or jaw
Muscle aches
Mumps is contagious
Here's how it's spread...
Coughing and sneezing
[Illustration of two people facing each other; one is coughing and sneezing, spraying particles]
Touching objects or surfaces with unwashed hands
[Illustration of particles on sippy cup and on hand touching the sippy cup]
Measles in the United States
From year to year, mumps cases in the U.S. range from roughly a couple hundred to a couple thousand.
[Graphic of U.S. map covered with dots]
Protect your child
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. Doctors recommend that your child get 2 doses of MMR for best protection. Your child will need one dose at each of the following ages:
- Dose #1 at 12 through 15 months
- Dose #2 at 4 through 6 years
Immunization. Power to Protect. Learn more at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents
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