Is It Just Roseola?

Could be fifths disease. Two of my younger children just had this. Rash on face and a lace like rash on arm, legs, and chest. They had the rash for two days and then were fine.

I know my daughter sometimes gets a rash when she is getting over a virus. I asked the doctor, and he said it's really normal for viral infections to cause a rash right when it seems like the kiddos are getting better and healing. Chances are he had a viral illness, and the rash is just letting you know he's on the mend!

But... if you're worried, go ahead and take him to the doctor. That's what they're there for. Also, I know a lot of people say aspirin instead of tylenol just out of habit of speech, but aspirin should never be given to little ones. Good luck!

Was he just vaccinated?

I would definitely call your pediatrician. It sounds to me like it could be Scarlet Fever. That is just a form of Strep but the Dr. Can give you antibiotics to clear it up before more complications arise.

is there a possibility that he has a allergic reaction to something he eat or touch ? also my grandmother always tellme when is a hot day and you got into the pool you need to pour a little water in your head because of the heat otherwise you may have fever at night i am not sure why but she told me that.also i don't think you kid may take aspirin because it can lead to reyes syndrome.

i think if the rash go away you don't have to worry about anymore:)

Hi D.,

Sounds a lot like Roseola. My daugther had it at the end of May. Her doctor said it was "going around". She was tested during the first visit for the flu, then two days later we were still concerned and she was tested for strep; she tested negative for both. The doctor said the thing with Roseola was we would not know she had it until the rash appeared...two days after her last visit came the rash. Her fever never got above 102.

Also, I am not sure if you know this or not, but you are not suppose to give Aspirin to anyone under the age of 20. There is a risk of developing Ryes Syndrome, which can cause brain damage. I had a distance relative develop this, he was given Aspirin when he had a fever; due to this my mom never gave us Aspirin. Please do not think I am telling you what to do; I would never want to come off as one of those people that tells others what to do (giving a child Aspirin), I just wanted to make sure you are aware of it.

Here's an overview of Roseola from webmd.com:

What is roseola?
Roseola (roseola infantum) is a mild illness caused by a virus. It is generally harmless and is most common in children 6 months to 2 years of age. It is rare after age 4.

What causes roseola?
Roseola is caused by two common viruses. The viruses belong to the family of herpes viruses, but they do not cause the cold sores or genital infections that herpes simplex viruses can cause. They are spread through tiny droplets of fluid from the nose and throat of infected people when they laugh, talk, sneeze, or cough. Roseola mostly spreads from infected people who don’t show symptoms.

If your child has roseola, keep him or her at home until there has been no fever for 24 hours and he or she is feeling better.

What are the symptoms of roseola?
Roseola often starts with a sudden high fever [103 F to 105 F] that lasts 2 to 3 days, although it can last up to 8 days. The rapid increase in temperature may be the first sign of roseola and often occurs before you realize that your child has a fever. The fever ends suddenly.

After the fever ends, a rosy-pink rash may appear mostly on the trunk (torso), neck, and arms. The rash is not itchy and may last 1 to 2 days.

In rare cases, a sore throat, stomach ache, vomiting, and diarrhea occur.

A child with roseola may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite, but most children behave almost normally.

How is roseola diagnosed?
Roseola is diagnosed through a medical history and physical exam. The doctor often knows it's roseola if your child had a fever and now has a distinct rash.

How is roseola treated?
The roseola fever can be managed with acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Panadol), ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), or sponge baths. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 years of age because of the risk of Reye syndrome.

The roseola rash will go away without medical treatment.

Should I worry if my child has roseola?
Roseola generally is a harmless viral infection. Like any illness that can cause a fever, it can cause fever seizures, which are uncontrolled muscle spasms and unresponsiveness that last 1 to 3 minutes. The fever seizure is caused by the rapid increase in temperature in a short period of time. After a fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is probably over. Fever seizures are not a form of epilepsy. For more information, see the topic Fever Seizures.

Contact the doctor if:

Your child's rash gets worse.
Symptoms (such as a fever, a general feeling of illness, or signs of infection) are severe or become worse.
Symptoms become so uncomfortable that your child cannot tolerate them.
A new rash continues longer than 1 week.
A rash that has been previously diagnosed continues longer than 4 weeks or is not following the expected course.
Your child's symptoms become more severe or more frequent.

Hope your son feels better soon! S.

Hi D.! I would encourage you to take your son to the doctor just to make sure all is well. While this may very well be nothing more than a viral infection, sometimes high fevers, rashes, and lethargy can be symptoms of something more serious such as meningitis. I am sure you would feel better just getting everything ruled out to be on the safe side. Hope your little one is doing better today!

It does sound a lot like Roseola, although the fever is typically higher with Roseola. You may have just had it well under control. If the rash appeared AFTER the fever broke, it was almost definitely Roseola. If they coincided, it could be something different. Call your doc if you are unsure. My daughter has Roseola right now, so it is going around. My son had it when he was about that age also.

It sounds exactly what my son went through around 13 months of age. He had a fever 24-48 hours. He wasnt really sleepy but he was not as active. My Pedi. called me first thing the next morning and told me to go see if he had a rash. Bingo it was all over. It came after the fever broke and I think it too lasted about 24 hours. If your really concerned just go ahead and give the office a call. It really does sound like roseola to me. Our dr. diagnosed it rght over the phone with out us even coming into the office. According to her most kids will get it before the age of 5. Hope this helps.

It actually sounds like it could be Fifth's disease. Esp if you notice the rash reappearing when he is hot, or in a warm bath tub. It is sometimes also called "slapped cheek disease" because it literally can look like someone slapped them. But my kids have had it on their arms and backs as well. It usually shows up after the fever, just like your sons did. I would watch for a few more days to make sure, but it sounds like it is getting better. Sometimes kids get viral rashes too, mine have done that. Finally, one last thing to consider, if he is still not feeling well, would be strep throat. My daughter had the fever first, nausea and sleepy next, and finally a rash appeared the day we took her to the dr. He said by the time we got her there, she was bordering on having scarlet fever, which I guess is what happens when strep goes for too long, but she never complained about her throat. Again, my fist guess is Fifth's disease, but these are the other possibilities I have seen in my own kids. Good luck!!~A.~

Am I the only one that thinks it's strange for a pediatrician to recommend Aspirin for a baby? I thought these days we didn't do aspirin for little ones due to Reye's syndrome.

Just wondered..........

D.,
It could be nothing, but it could be something. How was he tonight? Did any symptoms come back? These symptoms could also be strep throat. The symptoms can be weird sometimes. If he has any symptoms tonight I'd consider at least calling a nurse in your pediatricians office tomorrow morning. If he has fever I'd get your baby to the doctor for a little check.
P.

My 18-month old had Roseola last week, of course I did not know for sure until this past Saturday when I took her to the doc's office. She had high (consistent) fever for 3 1/2 days with diarrhea. I alternated Tylenol & Motrin to treat the fever (which was right on schedule every 4-6 hours). She didn't eat or drink much during this time. On the 4th day she started the tiny red dots on her forehead and hairline, then by the 5th day she was covered! I took her in to the doc just to confirm that it was not scarlet fever (because she had strep throat 2 weeks prior to this), which is a much more serious virus because it could lead to other serious issues. They confirmed that her throat was fine, the strep culture was negative so it was definitely Roseola. The doc said that there is really nothing you can do for Roseola. If they are fussy, its because the rash is making them uncomfortable. BUT - if your baby boy has a sore throat, I would take him in just to confirm it is not something more serious.

I hope he feels better soon. It is so hard to watch them when they are so lethargic.

My daughter had the same things a little over a month ago. I was worried about it being something serious as well. I went to the doctor and she said it was just a viral rash. She said it is common in young children and there is nothing you can give them to make it go away, you just have to wait about 5-7 days. She said to give her Tylenol if her fever got high (102-103) and to give her Children's Benadryl if the rash is bothering her. If the rash starts to change color (turn purple) then call the doctor and let them know. However, if you want to put your mind at ease, call the pedi and make sure everything is okay.

We recently battled Roseola - of course we didn't know that's what it was until the high, high fevers went away and the rash appeared. She was fine when the rash finally appeared. But I'd say the only surefire way to tell what it is or isn't is to see a doctor.

Do not give asprin it is very dangerous. Tylenol or motrin only!

One of my children is just a little fish. I always say I need to look for his gills, he loves to swim...always has, and he's only 7yrs old. The bad thing is he is allergic to chlorine & exhibits the same reactions you have mentioned...fever included, everytime he gets in a chlorine pool. And just a teasppon of chlorine water down the hatch causes diarreah. I give him benedryl right after swimming, and that tends to help (before would make him too drowsy to swim for my comfort). Perhaps your little one is the same.