We believe you should always know the source of the information you're reading. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies.

Following in the steps of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Biden administration has now declared monkeypox a public health emergency in the U.S. But how concerned do parents really need to be? 

"The most important thing is to be cognizant that this exists," says Rajeev Fernando, M.D., an infectious diseases physician and member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. "Knowing is half the battle. If you see a rash and you're concerned, go to the pediatrician."

Read on for more about what families need to know about this virus right now. 

Monkeypox is the disease caused by the monkeypox virus. Despite its name, it's unclear whether the virus originated in monkeys. Scientists do know that some rodents and primates (including monkeys and humans) can contract and spread the disease. Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monkeypox See All Sources [1]

Monkeypox isn't a new illness. Researchers first discovered it in humans more than half a century ago, but for many years, cases mostly occurred in central and western Africa and sometimes in international travelers. 

Recently, though, an outbreak of monkeypox has been spreading in the United States and other countries where it didn't appear very frequently before. Trusted Source Cleveland Clinic Monkeypox See All Sources [2]

So far, 6,616 confirmed cases have occurred in the U.S. since January 1. Though most cases in the U.S. are currently being reported among people who identify as gay or bisexual, or other men who have sex with men, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) previously announced two cases in children, both likely the result of household transmission.

"I still don't think it's a cause for panic for the general public — like mothers and fathers — but it's a cause for panic for public health officials," says Dr. Fernando, who has completed a disaster medicine fellowship at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "They need to be on their A-game." Continue Reading Below Read This Next Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (Coxsackievirus) in Babies and Toddlers The Biggest Breastfeeding Trends in 2022 When and How Should I Sterilize Baby Bottles? Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (Coxsackievirus) in Babies and Toddlers The Biggest Breastfeeding Trends in 2022 When and How Should I Sterilize Baby Bottles?

Lauren Crosby, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician in Beverly Hills, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board agrees. "Parents should not panic," she says. "Though children can get monkeypox, the risk is low."

It can take from five days to three weeks after exposure for symptoms to appear. According to the CDC, symptoms of monkeypox can include:

The rash is the most distinctive symptom associated with monkeypox, and it goes through several stages — from flat spots, to red bumps that then fill with fluid, to scabs that crust and fall off — before it heals. 

"I'm getting lots of emails with pictures of rashes, 'Could this be monkeypox?'" says Gina Posner, M.D., a board-certified pediatrician in Fountain Valley, California, and a member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board. "Unfortunately, it does look like hand, foot and mouth disease, which lots of kids get."

But the rash can have several different presentations, Dr. Fernando says, so it's important to get any suspicious-looking symptoms checked out. Some people develop the rash before flu-like symptoms and vice versa. Others just experience the rash.

Usually, the illness lasts for two to four weeks. Trusted Source KidsHealth From Nemours Monkeypox See All Sources [3]

Monkeypox virus can spread several different ways, including via: Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monkeypox Transmission See All Sources [4]

Monkeypox can spread from the time symptoms start until after the rash has healed and a new layer of skin has formed, the CDC says. Researchers are still trying to determine whether the disease can also spread asymptomatically. Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Gatherings, Safer Sex, and Monkeypox See All Sources [6]

"Children are going to get it through close contact and inanimate objects — toys, pillows," Dr. Fernando predicts. However, monkeypox does take a longer amount of time to transmit through face-to-face contact compared to COVID-19. "Unlike COVID, where you're exposed and in 15 minutes, you pick it up, this virus doesn't transmit as easily."

Monkeypox is still a rare illness, and most of the time, people get better on their own without treatment. No one has died from the current outbreak to date, but more serious complications, including pneumonia and brain or eye infections, can occur.

Children, especially those under 8 years old, and pregnant women are at increased risk for severe disease, the CDC says, as well as people who are immunocompromised and those with a history of atopic dermatitis or eczema. Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monkeypox: Clinician FAQs See All Sources [7]

"In pregnant women, it can definitely pass from mother to fetus, and pregnant women are considered partially immune compromised," Dr. Fernando adds.

Two vaccines — JYNNEOS and ACAM2000 — licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) do exist for monkeypox. Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Considerations for Monkeypox Vaccination See All Sources [8]

Unfortunately, pregnant women are ineligible for ACAM2000, and there is no data on the use of JYNNEOS in pregnant and breastfeeding women, according to the CDC. Supplies of JYNNEOS are also currently limited, but authorities are upping its availability to select groups and further studying its efficacy against the current outbreak. 

Pregnant women can receive treatment in the form of monoclonal antibodies if they do contract the disease, Dr. Fernando adds. 

As for children, the FDA hasn't licensed JYNNEOS for use in people under 18. But for those older than 1, the ACAM2000 vaccine can provide protection as needed, especially in the event of exposure. 

"You can use the vaccine to prevent severe disease and help patients recover quicker," Dr. Fernando says. However, it's not appropriate for certain groups, including those who are immunocompromised.

Just when the COVID-19 vaccine for kids finally became available, monkeypox has now appeared as a new stressor for parents.

"I totally empathize with parents," Dr. Crosby says. "Just the thought of another concerning infectious disease to potentially worry about out there after what everyone has been through over the past two years is a lot to deal with."

On the upside, families now have lots of practice on taking steps to reduce disease transmission. Experts say that everyone — including parents, children and pregnant women — can minimize their risk of contracting monkeypox by doing the following:

If someone you know may have monkeypox or has a rash that looks like monkeypox, don't touch the rash or scabs. Likewise, avoid close skin-to-skin contact (like hugging); don't share utensils or cups; and don't handle an infected person's bedding, towels or clothing. 

"Frequent hand-washing remains key to preventing most infections, including this one," says Dr. Crosby. "Use soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer."

Right now, the CDC recommends only certain groups get vaccinated against monkeypox, including: Trusted Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Monkeypox Prevention See All Sources [9]

Get in touch with your local health department if you fall into one of these groups to learn more about vaccination.

"At this point, getting people that are at higher risk situations vaccinated is super important," Dr. Posner says. 

Get in touch with your doctor if anyone in your family has contact with someone diagnosed with monkeypox. Likewise, you'll want to alert them if anyone in your family develops a pimply or blistering rash or any other monkeypox-like symptoms.

A health care provider can confirm a case of monkeypox by testing a tissue and/or blood sample.

Please whitelist our site to get all the best deals and offers from our partners.

The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff. This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. © 2022 Everyday Health, Inc