recurrent parotiditis of childhood

Recurrent parotiditis of childhood may affect children up to the age of 12 years and is more common in males than females and differs from the adult form in this regard.

Symptoms usually include the sudden onset of uni- or bilateral parotid swelling with varying degrees of enlargement.

There may be mild discomfort, but the child is usually not visibly ill and xerostomia is not present. Salivary chemistries are altered as in the adult. The condition may resolve at puberty or continue on into adulthood, as mentioned previously.