Roseola? Has anyone heard of this?

[decogrl]

I have been stressing about DD's high fever since last night and was wondering has anyone's kids had roseola?  I will know for sure if she has this if within 24 hours a rash appears...apparently the signs are spikes in fevers, but baby appears normal otherwise..accompanied by mild diareah..etc....She is going to the doc tomorrow AM but was wondering has anyone had experience with this?

[AndiJ78]

I had it as a baby. Eact same thing you described from what I am told. Another thing that can cause a sudden high fever is an ear infection and not all kids complain about it.

Let us know what the doc says.

[ma2isiah]

My son had Roseola at 19 months old. He had what you describe high fever no other symptoms. Although he was somewhat lethargic, he just wanted to cuddle. Then he got he pinkish rash and was all better. I was freaked out because it was the first time he was sick. Let us know what it turns out to be.

[pertykitty]

my son had this, he had everything.  just love on him he will need a few days to feel better. my son never stopped no matter how sick he was, id want to cuddle and he wanted to play lol.  

[tiredbuthappy]

my sister had it when she was little. actually, most people had it when they were little. i was in my teens when she was a baby so i remember it. it was no big deal, but it's scary at the time because the fever seems so high.

[Me2mommy2b]

Oh, Sue... I'm sorry that sweet Ameera's going through this.  I've heard of this before but can't say I'm too knowledgable on this subject.  Ariella's been sick for the past week also.  She can't eat, sleep, or do anything for that matter b/c her nose is so stuffed.  let us know how the appt goes tomorrow.  Good luck.

[Me2mommy2b]

Sue, I looked it up and this is what I got:

Roseola (also known as sixth disease, exanthem subitum, and roseola infantum) is a viral illness in young children, most commonly affecting those between the ages of 6 months and 2 years. It is typically marked by several days of high fever, followed by a distinctive rash just as the fever breaks.

Two common and closely related viruses can cause roseola: human herpesvirus (HHV) type 6 and possibly type 7. These two viruses belong to the same family as the better-known herpes simplex viruses (HSV), but HHV-6 and HHV-7 do not cause the cold sores and genital herpes infections that HSV can cause.

Signs and Symptoms
A child with roseola typically develops a mild upper respiratory illness, followed by a high fever (often over 103° Fahrenheit, or 39.5° Celsius) for up to a week. During this time, the child may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite and swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck.


The high fever often ends abruptly, and at about the same time a pinkish-red flat or raised rash appears on the child's trunk and spreads over the body. The rash's spots blanch (turn white) when you touch them, and individual spots may have a lighter "halo" around them. The rash usually spreads to the neck, face, arms, and legs.

The fast-rising fever that comes with roseola triggers febrile seizures (convulsions caused by high fevers) in about 10% to 15% of young children. Signs of a febrile seizure include:

unconsciousness
2 to 3 minutes of jerking or twitching in the arms, legs, or face
loss of control of the bladder or bowels
Contagiousness
Roseola is contagious and spreads through tiny drops of fluid from the nose and throat of infected people. These drops are expelled when the infected person talks, laughs, sneezes, or coughs. Then if other people breathe the drops in or touch them and then touch their own noses or mouths, they can become infected as well.

The viruses that cause roseola do not appear to be spread by kids while they are exhibiting symptoms of the illness. Instead, someone who has not yet developed symptoms often spreads the infection.

Prevention
There is no known way to prevent the spread of roseola. Because the infection usually affects young children but rarely adults, it is thought that a bout of roseola in childhood may provide some lasting immunity to the illness. Repeat cases of roseola may occur, but they are not common.

Duration
The fever of roseola lasts from 3 to 7 days, followed by a rash lasting from hours to a few days.

Professional Treatment
To make a diagnosis, your doctor first will take a history and do a thorough physical examination. A diagnosis of roseola is often uncertain until the fever drops and the rash appears, so the doctor may order tests to make sure that the fever is not caused by another type of infection.

The illness typically does not require professional treatment, and when it does, most treatment is aimed at reducing the high fever. Antibiotics cannot treat roseola because a virus, not a bacterium, causes it.

Home Treatment
Until the fever drops, you can help keep your child cool using a sponge or towel soaked in lukewarm water. Do not use ice, cold water, alcohol rubs, fans, or cold baths. Acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin) can help to reduce your child's fever. Avoid giving aspirin to a child who has a viral illness because the use of aspirin in such cases has been associated with the development of Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and death.

To prevent dehydration from the fever, encourage your child to drink clear fluids such as water with ice chips, children's electrolyte solutions, flat sodas like ginger ale or lemon-lime (stir room-temperature soda until the fizz disappears), or clear broth. If you are still breastfeeding, breast milk can help prevent dehydration as well.

When to Call the Doctor
Call the doctor if your child is lethargic or not drinking or if you cannot keep the fever down. If your child has a seizure, seek emergency care immediately.

[mully]

My daughther who is now 2.5 years old had Roseola. It was the highest fever she ever had - 104/105 - it was scary to see her like that - lethargic - not even well enough to complain. My brother in law's a pediatrician so I was able to call him late at night - his recommendations - 1) treat her with fever reducing meds - you can use tylenol and advil to cover the baby round the clock for break through fever b/c they work on different mechanisms so you won;'t be overdosing - but of course confirm with your doctor and I found it important to write out the dosing schedule so I didn't make any mistakes! 2) make sure your baby's hydrated...mine was still breastfeeding so she would still suckle ...

[decogrl]

Well, the telltale rash appeared today and the fever has FINALLY broken, so that is what she had.