How Common is Fifth Disease?

Last month my daughter come home with a red face looking like someone had slapped her hard. Apparently it started to appear during the day and the school nurse looked at it. They sent a note home telling me that she had something called "Fifth Disease". Naturally like any mother would I called the doctor's office and asked about it. I have found out that it is commonly known as "slapped cheek disease" because of its red appearance on the face. I had noticed that my child had been running fever with a cold and complaining with muscle cramps in her legs lately, I now know that it was the beginning symptoms. According to the Center for Disease Control, after these symptoms disappear, the rash will show up on face and then move to the rest of body. Sometimes her rash looked like it had a lacy appearance, right before it went away.

Fifth Disease is common in schools. It is not an actual disease, it is something in the virus family. It is caused by something referred to as parvovirus B19.There are no known medications that can be given for this. Antibiotics will not help because this is not a bacterial type infection. The only medications my daughters doctor told me to use was something for her fever and calamine lotion for itching. Fifth Disease can be gotten from someone sneezing or coughing near you. Adults can also get it. Once the rash appears it is usually not contagious anymore. Most people have no complications from it. If you are pregnant or have a weak immune system you need to go see your doctor. The rash usually goes away after about 10 days. One good note is when you have it the first time you are most likely immune to it. There are no vaccinations currently approved for Fifth Disease.

With children you need to be careful letting them out in the sun while child still has the rash. It will make the rash itch more and make it appear worse. Most children do not feel bad with this and can stay in school since by the time the rash appears it is not contagious. I have never heard of this til now. My grandmother had never seen or heard of it before. Thankfully, she is over it and better now. I think it ran through her class.