MMR

MMR refers to a vaccination, which was started in the year 1988, to provide prevention against three severe diseases, namely measles, mumps and rubella. Ever since it has been introduced the number of kids being afflicted by these diseases is relatively low.
Why should MMR be done,
MMR needs to be done as measles, mumps and rubella are ailments that lead to severe complications. Some of which include:
Measles causes a series of symptoms such as brain damage, bronchitis, fits or convulsions and ear infection. This can even be fatal.
Mumps causes viral meningitis in children. In adults it causes symptoms like miscarriage, swelling of the pancreas, temporary deafness, etc. in older males, it even teds to cause inflammation and pain in the testicles.
Rubella leads to symptoms such as blood disorders, painful joints and encephalitis (soreness of the brain). If a mother experiences the disease during her pregnancy, it may cause damage to her unborn baby, creating problems relating to the baby’s development, and can even result in a miscarriage. Babies, who are born with the congenital rubella syndrome, can even experience blindness, deafness, and imperfect heart conditions or damaged functioning of the brain, to some extent.
When should MMR be done,
A MMR vaccination is first given to a child at the age of 13 months, after which an extra booster dosage is given between the ages of 3 and 5. Woman, before planning for pregnancy, should make sure they are completely immune to rubella. Women, whose immunity to rubella is not certain, are usually advised to take on the MMR vaccine.
In a sudden occurrence of measles, MMR is used to prevent the ones who have remained in close contact with the unhealthy condition in the previous three days.
How is MMR performed,
Carers/ Parents, who have children aged about 13 months, usually arrange for an appointment with their GP for the MMR vaccine. It is given in the form of an injection on the upper arm. It causes swelling redness on the spot of the injection for a while. Separate vaccines for each of the three diseases are available in a few clinics, but are generally not advised as they involve botheration of taking regular gaps in between them.
Risks of MMR
The MMR vaccine is not advised to be taken in the following conditions:
When you are going through an underlying untreated malicious disease or any other immunity
When you are extremely unwell
When you know your body might react towards antibiotics, kanamycin or neomycin
When you have had any major reactions to MMR earlier
During the course of pregnancy – it is better to avoid getting pregnant for at least a month after the vaccination is taken
When you Have taken an injection of immunoglobulin or any other blood product in the last three months

Side – effects
The side effects of the three vaccines taken together are:
A child may suffer from mild measles, fever, low appetite and an unhealthy feeling after a week of the immunisation
After three to four weeks, a child is prone to develop mild mumps that last only for a day or two.
As a side effect of Rubella, the child may experience minor skin rash.
Immediately after the immunisation, the child may get prone to harsh allergies.
Adult women, after 2 – 3 weeks of being immunised, feel pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints that remains for three days.