We selectively vax. We didn't do MMR. So, our health nurse always informs us when something is "going around." she said there were mumps going around and that some kids in town have gotten it when we talked to her last week... Can anybody give me a heads up on what symptoms would be something to watch for, as opposed to other stuff like flu etc? Katherine has never been sick but if she does get sick, I would want to know it was mumps early on so I can take proper care of it.

Stiff & swollen neck are the two most prominent symptoms. Last year, we had a few cases at school. That is all I know off the top of my head.

On a lighter note...my mom always said that if you couldn't eat a pickle you might have the mumps...I am not sure where that wives' tale came from, though.

The pickle thing is NO wives tale, I had the mumps when I was 4---- unless you have had the mumps, you don't realize how bad food burns as it goes down. The sugar in the sweet pickles burns like fire!

LOL about the pickle thing. If it burns though wouldn't it also burn if you had like strep or something too?? Would a burning pickle just mean you have a sore throat??

sweet pickles + the mumps= burning FIRE!!!

I haven't heard of anyone getting the mumps since I was real young and I am 49 now. I would hate to see some of these old child hood sickness's rise again. I remember my sister having German Measles when my mom was pregnant with my baby sister. They sent my sister to my grandmom's till it was safe for her to be around my mom. I remeber how worried everyone was. my other sister and I never caught it. Even though we all had the regular measles.

There have been a few mumps outbreaks in Canada in the past few years. One in the Maritimes and one in Alberta for sure. Both started in universities it seems and then the students went home on break and spread it around.