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Roseola

Roseola (also known as sixth disease, Exantham Subitum, Roseola Infantum and three-day-fever) is a viral illness that affects young children, mostly between the ages of six months and two years. It is contagious and is caught through fluids of the nose and throat that are expelled into the air through coughing, laughing, sneezing and talking.

What are the symptoms?
The typical symptoms are a mild upper respiratory illness followed by a high fever. The fever usually lasts around three days and ends abruptly. As the fever ends a raised pinkish rash appears on the body and lasts for about a day. The spots turn white when touched and may have a lighter ‘halo’ around them.

Is it serious?
Roseola itself is not serious and usually disappears after a few days but keep an eye on your child’s temperature as high temperature in children can result in febrile convulsions. Use a tepid sponge on your child’s forehead to help bring the fever down or see our feature on fever for more help. If your child becomes unconscious, jerks or twitches his body uncontrollably and loses control of his bowels/bladder call for an ambulance as he may be having a febrile convulsion and needs urgent medical help.

Diagnosis and treatment
The doctor will examine your child and may carry out tests to see if it is Roseola or another infection. Because Roseola is a virus there is little you can do to help ease the symptoms except help to take the fever down. Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids. Avoid giving aspirin to your child at this stage, as this can be associated with Reye’s syndrome.
Your doctor should be able to tell the difference between Roseola and other similar illnesses such as measles because of its characteristics; with measles your child will run a temperature throughout and experience cold like symptoms before measles appear. With Roseola the fever typically lasts for three days and disappears as a rash develops.
Your child will usually be able to return to day care or nursery once the fever has gone, but check this with your doctor first.