COVID-19 Vaccine Information and Updates
Read the Latest
Children's Hospital is part of the UPMC family.
Be safe anytime, anywhere.
To find a pediatrician or pediatric specialist, please call 412-692-7337 or search our directory.
A resource for our network of referring physicians.
For more information about research, please call our main office at 412-692-6438.
Ranked #9 Nationally by U.S. News & World Report.
Q: How likely are individuals who receive a booster and/or vaccination to contract the mumps – is that rare?
A: After two doses of vaccines, the range of effectiveness is typically 80 to 90 percent. A very small percentage of patients, about 5 to 10 percent, will not respond to the vaccine, but the vast majority will. In some cases, the vaccine's effectiveness will wane over time.
Q: What are the symptoms of mumps?
A: Mumps is characterized by painful swelling of one or more of the salivary glands, usually the parotid glands. Other symptoms can include fatigue, headache, fever, muscle ache, loss of appetite, and pain while chewing or swallowing. About one-third of infections do not cause salivary gland swelling or may manifest as a respiratory tract infection.
Q: Is mumps the only cause of swelling of the parotid (salivary) glands?
A: Swelling of the parotid glands can be due to several other viruses, including influenza A, parainfluenza types 1 and 2, Epstein-Barr, enteroviruses, as well as others.
Q: How are the mumps spread?
A: The mumps are spread by droplet contact with a person who is infected and contagious. A person must be in close contract with the infected individual, about three to six feet, and must come into contact with secretions, such as through coughing or sneezing. Walking past someone in the hallway is not an exposure. Shaking someone’s hand after he or she has coughed into it would be an exposure.
Q: How long is someone infectious with the mumps?
A: Individuals are infectious 48 hours prior to illness and five days after the onset of the mumps.
We feel strongly that all children should be immunized to prevent exposure to an infectious disease like the mumps or the measles. In order to keep these diseases at bay, it’s important for children to have all their recommended vaccinations, on schedule. And it’s important for adults to get booster shots when recommended, too. Immunizations protect us all.
View our recommended childhood immunization schedule.
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh
One Children’s Hospital Way
4401 Penn Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
With myCHP, you can request appointments, review test results, and more.
For questions about a hospital bill call:
To pay your bill online, please visit UPMC's online bill payment system.
Interested in giving to Children's Hospital? Support the hospital by making a donation online, joining our Heroes in Healing monthly donor program, or visiting our site to learn about the other ways you can give back.