Fifths Disease

My almost three year old son just had fifths disease around Easter. It started out with red cheeks(looked liked wind burn). He then took a bath that night and when he got out he was full of small red patches. He had a mild fever but it didn't seem to itch. I took him to the dr. just because we had just been with family and my sister-in-law is pregnant. This can cause complications for an unborn baby especially if exposed in the first trimester. The doctor said it would go away in about a week but could flare up for a few weeks after especially if child gets hot. It is something viral and supposedly once you get it you are immune. The thing about this is once the rash appears(1-3 weeks after they first get it)they are no longer contagious so although they may have the rash on the face, arms, legs, and maybe belly & back they don't have to be kept home.

Hi! I am so glad to see this post! My daughter who is 5 years old was into urgent care on the 14th of this month with a fever of 104.1, no rash, they did a strep test, poked her finger and had her pee in a cup, all of which came back fine except for her urine test, the white blood cell count was in the 25-50 range where is should have been in the 5-15 range. They sent us home with an antibiotic, we gave it to her that night and the fever went away, we thought she was better, WORNG! The fever came back again on the 23rd, back to urgent care we go, urine test and xray. Urine test came back the same, her cheeks were slightly red and a fever. Now today we had a follow up with the doctor, her cheecks were birght red, same with her ears, spotty rash on arms, legs, chest, back. And a possitive from the doctor that it is fifths! Now I am mad because her preschool had posted a notice a month ago to a "possible exposure" to it and strep has been running like wild fire through her school. So today I called her school to report to them that she has it, they said they would post it by the classroom and call the other parents for the kids that were in her class. was told to just give her tylenol or motrin for the fevers to keep hertemp down and to keep her feeling comfortable. Seeing how she has the rash she is not contagouse anymore and still has to miss out on her first friends birthday party tomorrow! So not fair.

We went through it when I was pregnant with my 2nd child (which is not safe for the unborn baby if I were to have caught it) It is also called slapped cheek disease. It pretty much looks like they have been slapped in the face and can run a mild fever with it. It went away in about 5 days. If I remember right there was some redness on the belly too (it's been awhile) I remember the dr saying that it was pretty much just transferred through saliva. They tested me to see if I had had it as a child too because most people have had it and didnt even know it. I don't think it is much to worry about though. Good Luck!

Wows, Fifth disease. Haven't heard that in awhile. My daughter hasn't had it, but I actually did in Fourth grade. I had a rash on my stomach and kind of achey, queasy flu symptoms with a fever. It went away it a few days and I never had a problem again. Good luck, should pass soon.

I think both my kids had Fifth Disease. My son went into the doctor with an ear infection and the doctor noticed a rash on his chest/stomach that looked kind of lacy I think was the word she used, and she said she thought it might be Fifth Disease. His cheeks had been red for probably a week or two by then, as if he were hot from exercising or something, was what I thought, but it just didn't go away. Then probably a couple weeks later, my daughter ended up with a rash like that too - red cheeks and the backs of her arms and I think legs, and belly and back.. I think she might have had a mild fever at one point. It seemed to flare up for a few weeks, especially when she had been running around or playing.

Hope that helps some :)

Interesting that you should ask...my 2 (almost 3) year old was diagnosed with it last week. I have never heard of it until then. Feel free to e-mail me with questions as I am curious in learning more about this as well. My e-mail address is ____@____.com

For my son, it started with red cheeks. I thought it was heat exhaustion. But then after giving him a bath, he broke out in a rash on his neck, shoulders, etc. Now, I have noticed it very much so on his arms and legs (usually when warm). From what my doctor said, it can last a few weeks, but it is not contagious so no need to worry.

Hi S.,

We "self diagnosed" our little girl with Fifths Disease. (She had Roseolla -Sixth Disease - at 18 months and while reading about it on the Internet we stumbled across "Fifths".) She had it at around 6 months and no-one had been able to tell us what it was. It looked like swirls of red marking on her skin - mainly on her arms and legs. If we didn't live in America, and if she hadn't been so young, I would have thought it was Ring worm. It didn't seem to worry her - didn't itch at all. It seemed to be more intense when she was hot. It lasted a couple of months.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

B..