[madwife2002]

Hi,

Just a quick question. My 3yr old who has had all inoculations, developed a fever 3-4 days ago but no other symptoms. Yesterday she developed a fine pin prick rash all over her cheeks and upper body, her cheeks appear slightly swollen and she says the inside of one of her cheeks is tender. She's still pyrexial and I am giving her usual antipyrexial medication. She still has no cough, cold symptoms and has not vomited, what do you paediatric nurses think may be the cause.

[athomas91]

does the rash blanch when touched?
does she have a sore throat?

if so - could be scarlet fever.

[madwife2002]

You could be right, have just read symptoms on medicinenet.com and it fits, she has the lines under her arms and in her groin.
Thanks for that, never seen scarlet fever before, will I need to go to Dr for penicillin or can it just reslove on it's own?

[kids]

Yes, she does need to be seen by a doctor.
While scarlet fever usually resolved on its own in the days before antibiotics it often progressed to rheumatic fever and resulted in blindness, deafness and rheumatic heart disease.

[neneRN]

Or roseola...german measles- goes away on its own. Best bet would be to see the doc, you never know.

[txspadequeen921]

I am not a peds nurse and of course you need to see your doctor. But, all 5 of my children get 5ths disease every year. It is a fairly harmless rash that starts at the upper body then spreads downward to the lower extremity ( or this is the way it happens with my kids). My kids get a fever and just dont feel well. This is caused my the parvo virus and they dont give treatment for it, since it is a virus. I have been expecting our yearly round for weeks now. Last year my daughter had it so bad her body looked like a map. Please see your ped doc they can do a test for this, a parvo titer.... I hope your baby gets better

[madwife2002]

Thanks to all will take her this am to see DR

[madwife2002]

Do you know I am glad I posted this thread because I have date to work by and she has had the same symptons again over the past 4 days took her to Dr and he hadn't a clue, said it could be slapped cheek syndrome. didnt worry me too much this time so watch this space for next month

[NRSKarenRN]

Slapped check sydrome = Fifth Disease = Hand foot mouth Disease

= viral illness

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/000977.htm

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infecti...ral/fifth.html

http://www.dermnetnz.org/viral/fifth.html

[Spidey's mom]

We had a child like yours in the ER yesterday (a Sunday - no clinic open). Fine rash over her trunk and a few days of fever. Roseola was the dx. It is viral - no meds given but lots of popsicles!

My kids have also had "slapped cheek" or Fifth's Disease . . sounds worse than it is because of the word "disease". Thanks Karen for those links.

steph