All about rashes

Symptoms

• Fifth disease has three distinct stages:
  1. A characteristic red blush, or sunburned-looking rash, appears over both cheeks (hence the name 'slapped-cheek').
  2. The next day, red round spots appear on the arms and legs.
  3. About one week later the first rash fades, causing a lacy marble-like pattern to appear.
• The lacy looking rash is the characteristic finding of this disease.
• The rash may last up to a month and may frequently disappear and then reappear.
• Generally the child feels well and has no fever.
• The diagnosis is usually made clinically. A blood test can be done for parvovirus B19, but this is not usually necessary.
• Children who have the lacy rash are not contagious by this stage and may attend school.
• Note: This virus can be especially dangerous to an unborn child, although in most cases this causes no lasting problems. So, if you are pregnant and have been exposed to this virus, alert your doctor so that your pregnancy can be adequately investigated and monitored.

• The disease is characterised by high fever (up to 106?F/41?C) for 3-5 days that can subside very suddenly.
• Within 24 hours, a rash occurs. The eruption of this rash is pink, characterised by round, flat spots that fade on pressure.
• The rash first starts on the chest and back and may spread to the arms and legs, lasting for a day or two.
• In spite of the high fever, most children with roseola appear quite happy and playful.
• A complication of roseola can be a febrile fit in susceptible people, probably related to the rapid rise in temperature.

Treatment

• There is no specific therapy except for fever reducers and fluids.

Symptoms

• Fever for 2-3 days
• Malaise
• Abdominal pain
• Sore mouth
• Mouth lesions that begin as red spots and turn into small ulcers that may be quite painful, limiting the child's ability to eat or drink.
• Most of those affected have the characteristic lesions on their hands and feet, which appear as vesicles varying in size from 3-7mm and are filled with clear fluid

Treatment

• Treatment for this disease is also non-specific. Fluids and mild pain reliever are usually sufficient.