Symptoms

Mumps is a rather mild children's illness characterized by an infection of the parotid salivary glands, located just in front of and below the ears. Typically, it affects children between three and fifteen years of age. Usually one side of the face and neck becomes infected first, but it spreads quickly to include the other. The *pain is most noticeable on swallowing and chewing, and when yawning. The ears tend to stand out more than usual as a result of the prominent swelling.

The illness starts out with a slight *fever, and aching ears, *throat and head. After symptoms begin, the mumps should disappear within two weeks. It takes two to four weeks after the initial infection for the symptoms to appear.

If teenage boys or adult men contract mumps, there is a risk of the mumps spreading to the testes but it rarely causes infertility. In rare cases, it spreads to the ovaries in females.

Causes

Mumps is caused by a fairly contagious viral infection which is spread by *coughing or sneezing. Most people are immune to mumps by the time they reach adulthood, and many are immune without ever becoming ill. Having the mumps once normally provides lifelong immunity.

Nutrition

Give the child plenty of fluids in the form of spring water, fruit and vegetable juices, herb teas and soups to help flush out toxins. If you have a good juicer, offer the child watercress juice which helps reduce swelling and removes toxins. Mung bean soup will also help reduce swelling. Children will appreciate the cooling effect of fruit juice popsicles.

Mumps can cause chewing and swallowing to be painful. For this reason, soft foods and foods which are not too acidic are best while acute symptoms last. As in all cases when the body is fighting infection, eliminate hard-to-digest fats. Easily digested mashed potatoes, puréed carrots and poached eggs provide a complete protein meal.

Nutritional Supplements

As with any other infection, vitamin C provides excellent *immune system support to fight this virus. Bioflavonoids support the action of vitamin C and they should be taken together. Beta-carotene or vitamin A provide additional support, as they increase the resistance of the mucous membranes.

Colloidal silver has antiviral and antibacterial properties. Silver in a colloidal form is non-toxic to human cells.

Children’s Daily Dosages

• Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, age three to six, 50 mg every few hours; age seven to eleven, 300 mg every few hours


• Beta-carotene or vitamin A, age three to six, 2,500 IU; age seven to eleven, 4,000 IU


• Colloidal silver, 1/4 tsp.

Herbal Remedies

Take herbal teas and tinctures to disinfect, induce *sweating and promote healing.

• Prepare a herb tea of elderflowers with thyme, sage, lindenflower, ginger root, or mullein. Add 1 tsp. of herbs to 1 cup of boiling water, steep, strain and drink 1 cup daily.


• Take 10 drops of echinacea tincture in water for three days to strengthen the immune system.
  
• Gargle with sage tea for disinfection.


• Add a few drops of arnica or calendula extract to a compress to reduce swelling. St. John’s wort oil added to the compress will soothe and heal.


• Hayseed or fenugreek compresses on ear area and testicles will also reduce swelling. Cover with a wool blanket. Place a cotton ball soaked in warm oil on the ear.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy will help cure the mumps more quickly and prevent complications. Choose one of the below in a 6c strength, repeating four times daily until the symptoms subside or change. For a high fever or severe pain, the remedy should be given half hourly or hourly for three doses. Dissolve 2 tablets under the tongue.

• Belladonna is appropriate at the very beginning if the illness develops suddenly with fever, flushed cheeks and throbbing pains which come and go suddenly. Typically, the right side is worse and the glands are very painful to touch.


• Phytolacca is used in mumps when the swelling is hard and painful and swallowing causes the pain to shoot into the ears. The child has difficulty swallowing anything hot.


• Mercurius solubilis is indicated for mumps accompanied by night sweats, drooling and *bad breath. The person is very sensitive to temperature, always feeling too hot or too cold.


• Consider Rhus toxicodendron if the child is exceedingly restless during the illness. Heat brings relief when the left side is more swollen. The *muscles will ache and feel stiff and it is worse in the morning.


• Pulsatilla should be considered if the child becomes weepy and clingy with the illness. These symptoms are worse at night and there can be no thirst, even when there is a fever. Pulsatilla is often indicated when a complication involving the reproductive organs develops.

Tissue Salts

Give the child 2 tablets four times daily.

• Use Ferr phos in the beginning inflammatory stage when fever and pain are prominent.


• Kali mur is most helpful when the swelling is most prominent. Often the tongue has a thick, whitish coating.


• Nat mur is useful if drooling is marked or if the testes become infected.


• If convalescence is slow, use Calc phos.

• Bedrest is necessary as long as there is fever, but activity will not increase the likelihood of complications.


• If the testicles become inflamed, provide support such as wearing a special jockstrap to hold them up. Moist warm compresses help reduce swelling of testicles.


• Apply warm clay packs or hot flax seed packs to the cheeks.


• With fever, moist cool compresses on throat and cheeks are preferred.


• Apply whey concentrate compresses to the calves and keep feet warm
.

• Whole body washes, several times daily, bring relief.


• Daily bowel movement is important. Take camomile enemas if needed.


• Gargle with concentrated liquid whey for disinfection.

Available Brand Name Products: Nutritional Supplements

• Ascorbate/Non-acidic Vitamin C (Ester-C)


• Big Friends Children’s Chewable (Natural Factors)


• C 500 mg Natural Fruit Chews (Natural Factors)


• Vitamin A (Natural Factors)

• Echinacea Fresh Juice Extract (Natural Factors)


• Echinacea Tincture (Natural Factors)


• St. John’s Wort Extract (Natural Factors)


• Echinacea-Power (Nature’s Herbs)

• Belladonna (Nelsons Homeopathy)


• Mercurius (Nelsons Homeopathy)


• Pulsatilla (Nelsons Homeopathy)

• Molkosan (Bioforce)

Source: Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by Siegfried Gursche and Zoltan Rona