Roseola infantum
child; youth; baby; infant; rash; exanthum; subitum; roseola; sixth; fever; rashes; infectious; diseases ;
Contents
Roseola is one of the very common mild viruses that can cause a temperature and rash in babies and young children. It usually does not cause problems for the child except sometimes causing the child to feel unwell for a few days.
What is roseola infantum?
- Roseola is a very common mild viral infection caused by one of the viruses in the herpes group (it cannot cause other herpes infections such as cold sores).
- It affects very young children between about the ages of 6 months and 3 years of age.
- Roseola usually causes a fine raised red rash and a high temperature which lasts from a few hours up to 3-5 days.
How long does it take to develop?
- It usually develops from 5-15 days after contact.
- It is not known how the virus is spread.
- Most children have been in contact with this virus by the time they are 3 years old. Some may have been unwell with it, but for many the illness may have been very mild and may not have been noticed.
Infectious period
- It is most infectious while the child is unwell (from when the fever starts, including the time before the rash appears).
Signs and symptoms
- The child develops a high temperature of up to 40ºC, possibly higher, which usually lasts for a few hours, but may last 3-5 days.
- As the temperature falls, a raised red rash appears, first on the body and neck and later on the face and arms and legs.
- The rash lasts from a few hours to 1-2 days.
- Roseola may also cause a fever without the rash.
- Children with roseola recover fully, usually within a week.
What you can do
- Babies and young children who are unwell need extra comforting and attention.
- If your baby has a high fever for more than a couple of hours, seems very unwell or is becoming more unwell, see your doctor.
- Paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used, if your child has a high temperature (over about 38.5º) following the instructions for the weight of your child on the label on the bottle (see the topic 'Using paracetamol or ibuprofen').
- Giving a luke warm bath (tepid sponge) is not recommended. (See 'Fever').
- Offer the child lots of drinks.
- It is best to keep any unwell child home from child care or creche because that child needs extra attention, and so that the infection does not spread to other children.
The topic 'Feeling sick' has suggestions for caring for a sick child.
Health problems from roseola
- Roseola is usually a mild short-lived illness.
- The major problem is the possibility of febrile convulsions as the child's temperature may rise very quickly. (See 'Febrile convulsions'). Febrile convulsions are convulsions triggered by fever. They rarely cause any ongoing problems.
- The rash can be sometimes be confused with measles or rubella.
- Sometimes roseola leads to ear infections.
- Other complications are very uncommon.
Department of Health, South Australia 'Roseola (Exanthum Subitum, Sixth Disease)'
http://www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/ygw/roseola-pehs-sahealth-2009.pdf
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Parent Helpline on 1300 364 100 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).
This topic may use 'he' and 'she' in turn - please change to suit your
child's sex.