Preparing questions in advance can help parents to have more meaningful discussions with their child's physicians. Parents may wish to ask their child's doctor the following mumps-related questions:

1. When should my child receive the first dose of the MMR vaccine?
   
   
2. Is getting the MMR vaccine mandatory for my child?
   
   
3. If the vaccine has nearly eliminated mumps in the United States, why does my child need to receive a vaccination against it?
   
   
4. What side effects can my child develop from the MMR vaccine?
   
   
5. I was born before 1957. Do I still need to get the mumps vaccination?
   
   
6. I’m pregnant. Is it safe to get the mumps vaccine?
   
   
7. Are there conditions or diseases other than mumps that may explain my child's symptoms?
   
   
8. What methods will you use to determine if my child has mumps?
   
   
9. What dangers does this condition pose to my child's overall health?
   
   
10. My child has mumps. Should my other children be removed from the house during the course of the illness?
    
    
11. When can I expect my child's symptoms to subside?
    
    
12. What steps can I take to ease my child's symptoms?
    
    
13. When can my child return to school?