What is Roseola? A Common Illness in Young Children

Fever is always a concern for parents of young children. A high fever is even more worrisome. One possible cause for your child's fever is roseola. Roseola is an illness caused by a virus in the herpes family, although it is not the same virus that causes cold sores or genital herpes. A textbook case of roseola will present with two to three days of high fever followed by a rash over the face, arms and torso. Most kids will have no other symptoms of illness.

Most people who get roseola are between the ages of six and twenty four months. It is rare for anyone over the age of four to get it. The older you are when you get roseola, you may have more symptoms or a longer fever. The virus is spread by small droplets of fluid from the mouth and nose of infected people, especially those who don't show symptoms. Doctors diagnose roseola by a physical exam; they look for a rash that follows the fever. The rash presents itself differently for everyone, and the skin may blanch briefly when touched. (Blanch is when the skin turns white when pressed.)

Some parents report more symptoms. These may include a stomach ache, sore throat, vomiting and diarrhea. Keep in mind, if your child has a fever and any of these symptoms, it is important to take them to the doctor to rule out more serious illnesses, or those caused by bacteria. Most kids will behave almost normally. The only sign of illness may be a high fever that reaches between 103 and 106 degrees.

It's a good idea to regularly take their temperature and write it down. If the fever seems to bother your child, or if it is very high, you can give Tylenol to bring it down. If that doesn't work to drop the fever at least a couple points in an hour and you've tried a lukewarm bath or cool compresses as well, you should head to the doctor. Also, write down when you gave any medicines. This can be important for your doctor to know.

Remember that a fever is helping your child fight the infection. It is not necessary to bring every fever down. You should be able to manage the fever from roseola with Tylenol, but keep in mind not to exceed the dosage instructions, and only use as needed for the comfort of your child.

Because roseola causes a fever that seems to begin suddenly, your child may experience a febrile seizure. These are usually harmless, however, you should report to the doctor immediately after a seizure. Around ten to fifteen percent of young children with roseola get febrile seizures.

Source:

www.medicinenet.com/roseola/index.htm