What Is Roseola?
Roseola is a relatively mild infection that typically affects children by two. Adults are occasionally affected. Roseola is so common that most children are infected when they start kindergarten. Roseola is caused by two common strains of the herpes virus. The condition typically causes fever for several days, followed by a rash. Some children develop only a mild case of roseola and never show any clear signs of illness, whereas others exhibit the full spectrum of signs and symptoms. Roseola is not usually serious. However, in rare cases, a high fever can lead to complications. Roseola is treated with bed rest, fluids, and fever-reducing medications.
What Are the Causes of Roseola?
The human herpes virus 6 is the most common cause of roseola, but it can also be caused by another herpes virus, the human herpes virus 7. It spreads through contact with an infected person's respiratory secretions or saliva, just like other viral illnesses such as the common cold. A healthy child who shares a cup with a child who has roseola, for example, may contract the virus. Roseola is contagious even if there is no rash. It can spread while a child has only a fever, even before it is clear that the child has the disease. If the child has interacted with another child who has the illness, it is critical to keep an eye out for symptoms of roseola. Unlike chickenpox and other childhood viral illnesses that spread quickly, it rarely causes a community-wide outbreak. This infection can strike at any time of year.
What Are the Symptoms of Roseola?
When a child is exposed to someone who has a roseola infection and becomes infected, it usually takes a week or two for signs and symptoms of infection to appear, if they appear at all. Therefore, it is possible to become infected with roseola but have signs and symptoms that are too mild to be noticed. Among the symptoms of roseola are:
- Fever - Roseola typically begins with a high fever, often exceeding 103 degrees Fahrenheit (39.4 degrees Celcius). Some children may experience a sore throat, runny nose, or cough, along with or preceding fever. In addition, the child may develop swollen lymph nodes in the neck. The fever lasts between three to five days.
- Rash - A rash usually appears after the fever has subsided, but this is not always the case. The rash is made up of numerous small pink spots or patches. These areas are mostly flat, but some are raised. Some of the spots may have a white ring around them. The rash typically begins on the chest, back, and abdomen before spreading to the neck and arms. It might or might not get to the legs and face. The rash, which is not itchy or painful, can last for several hours to several days before disappearing.
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Roseola may also cause the following signs and symptoms:
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Infant and child irritability.
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Diarrhea of moderate severity.
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Appetite suppression.
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Swollen eyelids.
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How Is Roseola Diagnosed?
Roseola can be challenging to diagnose because the initial signs and symptoms are similar to other common childhood illnesses. If the child has a fever and it is clear that no cold, ear infection, strep throat, or other common condition is present, the doctor may wait to see if the roseola rash appears. While treating the child's fever at home, the doctor may advise keeping an eye out for inflammation. Lastly, roseola is diagnosed by a rash or, in some cases, a blood test to check for antibodies to roseola.
What Is the Treatment of Roseola?
Most children recover completely from roseola within a week of the fever's onset. With the doctor's approval, they can be given over-the-counter drugs to reduce fever, such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. When giving Aspirin to children or teenagers, proceed with caution. Although Aspirin is approved for use in children above three, children and teenagers suffering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take it. Aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal condition in such children. Roseola has no specific treatment, but some doctors may prescribe the antiviral medication Ganciclovir to treat the infection in people with weakened immune systems. Antibiotics are ineffective in the treatment of viral illnesses like roseola.
What Are the Home Remedies for Roseola?
Roseola, like most viruses, needs to run its course. The child should feel better soon after the fever subsides. On the other hand, a fever can make the child feel uneasy.
The doctor may advise treating the child's fever at home by doing the following:
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Get plenty of rest. Allow the affected child to stay in bed until the fever subsides.
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Drink plenty of fluids. To keep the children from being dehydrated, give them clear liquids to drink. Water, ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, clear broth, electrolyte rehydration solutions (such as Pedialyte), and sports beverages like Gatorade or Powerade are a few examples. Carbonated beverages should be cleared of gas bubbles. One can achieve this by shaking, pouring, swirling, or letting the bubbling beverage stand. By removing the bubbles, children will be spared the additional discomfort of excessive burping or intestinal gas.
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A cool towel or a sponge bath. Give the kid a lukewarm sponge bath, or dab the forehead with a cold, moist cloth. This might relieve the discomfort that comes with a fever. However, ice, cold water, fans, and cold baths should be avoided. These may cause the child to experience unwelcome chills.
There is no specific treatment for roseola rash, which goes away on its own after a few days.
Conclusion:
The majority of children recover from roseola with no long-term health consequences. However, children with weakened immune systems due to cancer, autoimmune disease, or other conditions are more likely to develop pneumonia (lung infection) or other complications. Once infected, children develop immunity to the virus and are unlikely to become infected again. High fever causes febrile seizures in approximately 10 % to 15 % of children with roseola. Febrile seizures usually last no more than 15 minutes. They can be frightening to witness, but they are generally harmless. These seizures do not indicate epilepsy.
