Conference moira::parenting

My son had roseola a few months ago.  He had a very hi temp of 103-104 for
3 days.  The strange thing was that he was quite happy.  He still ate and 
drank and played.  On the fourth day the fever was gone and he developed a
slight rash all over and was very very cranky.  This lasted for a couple of
days and then he was fine.  From what I read and got from the doctor, this
is typical of roseola.  They are happy even with the high temp, and then as
soon as it drops they get very cranky for a few days.  

I used liquid ibuprofen which took the fever down 2 to 3 degrees! It requires
a prescription so ask your doctor about it.

Hang in there.

Jill

    Ryan had it as a baby - maybe 12-15 months old?. The temp didn't get
    that high - as a matter of fact, I didn't know he had roseola til I
    took his clothes off at the doctor's office and found the little red
    speckles all over his body. Typically the fever precedes the spots, and
    the spots are gone in a few days.
    

    Ashley had it at about 1 1/2 - we were very worried because she ran a
    high fever for four days - Pedi checked her for a variety of things. 
    At night her temp would climb to 104 - we gave her lukewarm baths -
    sometimes two a night which would bring the fever down a few degrees.  
    
    Finally, on the fifth day, she was covered head to tow with little pink
    spots - they only lasted about 3 hours - we were really relieved to see
    that it was Roseolla!
    
    No side effects at all, and her fevers have never climbed that high
    again.
    
    Judy

   Well, we've had our share of rashes and such with our kids, but
   I've never run into this one... what is it?
   
   Thanks,
   
   - Tom
   

    
    >>  what is it?
    
    It's also sometimes referred to as "baby measles" but isn't really
    measles.
    
    Marie

    HI,
    
    My son had it a few years ago.  He was probably around 2 years as well. 
    He had a very high temp (103-104).  It wouldn't break.  All our doctor
    said was to give him luke warm baths, tylenol, and let it run it's
    course.  I don't remember how long the temp last (7 days maybe??)  then
    a rash is suppose to appear.
    
    My son did fine, he never did get much of the rash.  In my case, it was
    really nothing to worry about.
    He was fussy and clingy but that is about it.
    
    
    Hope she feels better!
    
    
    
    

    Sheryl,
    
     My daughter has Roseola (so did I as a kid ironically), she was only 9 
    weeks old, I will never forget it. It was the day of her christening. 
    
    She had such a high temp, I thought our thermometer was wrong. 104 it
    said. I called the pedi and when a kid is this young with that high of
    a temp, they don't like it. I had to bring her in to the pediatric ward
    as a direct admit at the hospital. She stayed there for 5 days and then
    the fever finally broke and she had that little fine rash all over. 
    Then she was crabby for like 3 days when we got home just getting rid
    of that rash.
    
    It was scary to me, because they tried to get an IV in the poor little
    thing and couldn't. Took them 4 hrs and they finally got it in to a
    leg. 
    
    Usually it is not that big of a deal for older kids. Every age is
    affected differently. I also had it as a newborn. I am expecting 
    again, so you can bet I will be watching for it this time. 
    
    Good luck. Just keep giving your little one lukewarm/cool baths and
    even a rag on the ol' forehead if they'll tolerate it and plenty of
    baby tylenol or a brand of that sort. 
    
    Charlene

    I had never heard of Roseola before I read this note, but now I'm 
    wondering if it is what my son has right now!  Would appreciate any
    comments.  
    
    Last Wednesday and Thursday my 18 month old had a fever (about 101), so I 
    took him to the pediatrician.  She said he had a slight ear infection
    and prescribed an antibiotic that he had been on successfully in the 
    past.  The fever went away within 24 hours of being on the antibiotic
    plus Tylenol.  Well, on Monday he broke out with a rash on his neck,
    stomach, back, and thighs.  The rash looked like little red bumps.  He
    was also very fussy.  I took him back to the pediatrician and she said 
    that he must be having a reaction to the antibiotic, so she prescribed a 
    different one.  By today (Wendesday) the rash is gone.
    
    Now I'm starting to wonder if it was Roseola and not a reaction to the
    antibiotic, as my pediatrician thought.  What's making me wonder is the
    thought that if he had a reaction to the antibiotic, wouldn't it have 
    shown up within a day or two of being on that antibiotic, instead of
    4 days later?  I guess I'm wondering if my pediatrician just made a 
    quick/easy guess by blaming it on the antibiotic.  From other people's
    notes about Roseola, I guess the rash would have gone away in a couple
    of days anyway, regardless of the switch to another antibiotic.
    
    I know this probably doesn't matter now, anyway, but I just feel like
    I need to know what he had.  I'm taking him back to the pedi next week
    for a follow-up and will probably mention this then.  I don't want to
    "accuse" her of a misdiagnosis, but still......  I'm surprised she 
    didn't raise it as a possibility.  
    
    By the way, does the Roseola rash itch or not?
    
    Jane
      
    
        

    I don't believe the rash itches. But he would have had a high fever for
    like 4 days straight, then the rash. Did he have the temp for that
    long? Has he been super cranky?
    
    

    Hi Jane,
    
    	My daughter's rash looked like little pinkish/red pimples and
    they were seperate, not in clusters -- they were on her tummy
    last night and this morning they were gone!
    
    	I'm taking Alexa to  the pedi today cuz now she sounds like
    she's got a terrible cold coming on...so I'm going to discuss
    the rash with the doctor and see what she says.  I'll let you
    know.
    
    Hang in there!
    
    Sheryl

I read somewhere recently that Marlee Matsomething (the actress who started
in Children of a Lesser God and is on USA TV now as a lawyer or cop or something)
became deaf because of roseola.

Anyone know anything about hearing loss because of roseola?

    re: .10
    
    	I took my daughter to the pedi yesterday and there were a few
    remaining "dots" on her abdomen and the pedi said that they were
    not the roseola rash.  The Roseola rash is flat she said, not raised.
    
    Just an FYI...
    
    

Uncontrolled fever can cause all kinds of neurological damage, including
hearing loss.  So, it is likely that the FEVER caused the problem and not
the roseola per se.

Roseola rash is a flat rash and is well spread across the chest and upper
torso. It is not a spotty rash.

A typical roseola attack starts with 2 to 3 days of high fever with usually
no other symptoms.  When the flat bright red rash comes out, the fever subsides.
There is no specific treatment, apart from plenty of fluids to avoid
dehydration, and a fever reducer such as acetaminophen (Tylenol (tm)).
Cool baths often make the child feel better.  It typically is limited to
children in the 2-4 year old age group.

Stuart

    When my brother had roseola, they were concerned that it would lead
    to scarlet fever because he had a heart murmur; anyone hear of this?
    This was many many years ago...
    
    Cyn

    RE. >>scarlet fever
    
    Are you sure that's not reumatic (sp?) fever?  Reumatic fever can cause
    a heart murmer because of the high fever.
    
    Marie

Again, this is another one of those cause and effect things.  Murmurs are
due to a heart valve not sealing properly.  This usually occurs because of
a physical defect with the valve, but it can occur with motor neurological
defects which in turn can be caused by unchecked fevers.  Thus you can
develop a heart murmur, or goodness knows how many other neurological based
problems all from unchecked excessive fevers, be they from Roseola, Scarlet
Fever, Rheumatic Fever, the 'Flu, or a bacterial infection.

Rheumatic fever (which develops from a strep infection) can cause damage
to the heart muscle and is noted for it.

Stuart

    Stuart.. don't mean to argue, but when my daughter was 3 she had a
    strep throat that developed into *Scarlet* fever.  Sarah has a very
    high tolerance for pain, so she never complained until the Strep had
    gone full blown... she developed the rash 24 hours after complaining.
    The Dr. said her throat had to have been sore for several days... but
    she never complained.

    Strep can turn into Streptococcal Heart disease, if not treated!

    M-L

    I didn't say that strep and scarlet fever were unrelated ... In fact
    Scarlet Fever IS a Strep type A infection.  The bacterial toxins are
    responsible for the rash ...  Strep heart disease occurs when the
    infection site starts in / spreads to the heart muscle and causes
    damage there.  This is not the same as the motor neurological defects
    caused by high fevers obtainable from Roseola, Rheumatic Fever, Scarlet
    Fever etc etc etc.
    
    Strep and Roseola, which we were discussing are two different things.  
    
    Stuart

    This must be what Daniel has.   He had a high temperature for four
    days.   We gave him Capol and luke warm baths.   He also had a bit
    of diarrhoea, was very cranky.   His temperature has dropped and
    he has come out with a flat rash, which does not seem to be giving
    him any trouble, in fact he is nearily back to himself.   If this
    is Roseola, is it contagious.   Is it safe to bring him out, well
    wrapped up, as he seems to be feeling much better.   He is 11 1/2
    months old.
    
    
    Bernie

    Sounds like Roseola to me, my son had it at six months of age, and he
    being my first, of course I was a paranoid mom who went to the ER.
    He had the fever on the weekend and into the first part of the week,
    so my follow up visit to the pedi on Monday, they said that's probably
    what it was and to look for a rash any day.  The ER didn't do anything
    except try to bring the fever down.  The pedi said he was contagious 
    until the rash was gone.  Justin's rash lasted 3 days, but I've heard
    that others only have it for a day.  I'd probably try to stay on the
    safe side and stay home til it was gone...just my opinion.
    
    Von

    That's classic roseola symptoms ...
    
    FYI ... the noter mentioned the medicine Capol ... this is the
    English equivalent of Tylenol syrup.

    Thank God! Daniel is much better.   The rash has gone.   I kept him
    indoors all weekend.   He is now back to himself.
    
    
    Bernie

    
    
    IS this contageous? 
    
    Thanks
    Donna

    Yes

    
    
    Why I am wondering is that can Adults get it or it's only children?
    
    	I saw my niece on Sunday and she broke out into a terrible fever
    	yesterday(thursday)(104) they brought her to the doctors and that 
    	what he said she had.  He said it was 3 days coming three days
    	three days going.. 
    
    	I'm just worried about Nina and that I don't infect her.
    
    	Donna
    
    	

    
    	I was told only kids under 2 get it but I don't know if
    adults are "carriers".
    
    /V

    I *think* (based on my family's experience) that
      - full-blown roseola (several days of fever, followed by a rash)
        only occurs in children under 2 yrs
      - it is a virus, and those over 2 can catch it (symptoms for
    		my older son was 48 hrs of high fever, no rash)
      - once you have had the virus, then you are immune
    
    /Deb

Donna, definately check with your preferred pediatrician.  In your situation,
you don't want to take too many chances.

     Carol

    Hmmmmmmm .... I was told that only kids under 1 can get it, that adults
    can't get it or anything else from it.  And that they are contagious
    only when they have the fever, not before, and not after (when the rash
    breaks out).  FWIW - Jonathan had it (on his b.day I believe), but only
    had the high fever part then (ooops! he was contagious!), had his b.day
    party anyway, and no one got sick from a result of being with him.
    
    Check w/ your Dr. though, or if you can't get them, there's always
    Ask-a-Nurse in Manchester .... 626-2626 (I'm 90% sure that's it) 
    They're there ALL the time, and quite wonderful (and free, except for
    the toll call).
    
    Patty

    
    
    From a pedi.. Adults cannot get it.  Only children under 3 can get it.
    
    You can have more than once.  It is only contageous when the child has
    a temp and an Adult cannot transmit it to a child.
    
    Donna

    I am glad I checked this notes file. Information on Roseola has been
    very helpful. For the past 4 days our son who is almost 12 months has
    had a high temp. He reached 106 one night! Many tub baths later and of
    course a visit to the doctor the fever is gone, but since yesterday he
    has been very very cranky. He does have what appears to be red flat
    spots on his neck and chest area. Sounds exactly like roseola after
    reading responses to this note. They verified thru blood and urine
    tests that it was not bacterial (Urine-to check for unirary tract
    infection). 
    
    He is doing much better, just looking forward to getting thru this
    cranky phase. We were lucky he had no convulsions with the high fever.
    He averaged 104 for a couple of days. When he was down to 102 it was a
    relief. 
    
    We know those thermoscan thermometers only go to 105.9 before returning
    error code 2 (patient temp. out of range!) I'll be glad if we never see
    that again. I have enough with translating error codes at work...
    
    Main thing was keep a close eye on him and keep the temp. down. They
    gave us motrin which helped much more than tylenol. 
    
    		-Roy- 

    Roy,
    
    Sometimes in cases where you can't get the fever down, they'll
    recommend motrin/advil (ibuprofen) *AND* tylenol at the same time. 
    They work differently, so it's not a problem to take them together. 
    And the combination can actually bring some relief to your child!
    
    Glad things are getting better!
    
    Patty

    When Chelsea had Roseola and her temp exceeded 104, we would give
    her Tylenol and follow it with the Motrin and hour later.  This
    was with checking her temp after an hour after the Tylenol, if it
    was above 102, the pedi said to dose her with the motrin.  It would
    always be the magic combo that brought her right down.
    
    Those high temps are scarey...glad things are on there way back to
    normal!
    
    ...Lori

    

          My daughter just got off of a good case of Roseola.  The
      usual thing happened, 102 for two days, rash everywhere for
      4 days.

         Some inputs from her doctor who said new info came
      through.
       
           Contagious during the temp. part Roseola, not during
           rash stage.
       
           A derivative of the German Measles

           Effects kids up to 2 years old and can't get them
           twice   (.1% chance of getting twice or over
           2 years old, VERY rare, but it could happen!)

           rash is NOT itchy and does NOT attribute to any
           habits, including being fussy.  If they are fussy
           during the fever, that's normal.  During the rash
           stage, being fussy has nothing to do with it.

                                              BJ