CARING FOR YOUR CHILD WITH

ROSEOLA
What Is Roseola?
Roseola is an infection caused by a virus. Other names for this
Roseola is a viral infection, common illness of small children are exanthem subitum and
usually not serious. The infection sixth disease. Roseola is generally not serious and isn’t any
occurs most often in children special risk for pregnant women. The infection occurs most
from 6 months to 3 years old.
often in children from 6 months to 3 years old. It’s rare after the
It’s rare after the age of 5.
age of 5 years.

What Causes Roseola?

Roseola is caused by a herpesvirus. This virus is from the same
family of viruses that cause cold sores, shingles, and genital
herpes, but it’s not the same one. The illness spreads when
The cause is a herpesvirus. droplets from an infected person’s mouth get into the air by
The illness spreads when talking, sneezing, or coughing. Then, someone breathes in
droplets from an infected the droplets. Someone without symptoms often spreads
person’s mouth get into the the illness.
air by talking, sneezing, or
coughing, and other people
breathe in the droplets. What Are the Symptoms of Roseola?
Someone without symptoms
often spreads the illness. The illness begins with a sudden fever. The child may have
a very high temperature, up to 105˚ F. Even with the high
temperature, however, the child usually doesn’t look or act very
sick. The fever will last from 2 to 5 days, but most often it lasts
for 3 or 4 days. Other symptoms are being fussy, having less
appetite, and swelling of the neck glands. One or 2 days after the
fever stops, the child will break out in a rash. The rash is rose
The illness begins with a sudden fever.
A very high temperature, up to 105° F, pink and blotchy. It starts first on the chest and upper back, and
can occur. A child usually doesn’t look then spreads to the arms and neck. At this point, with the fever
or act very sick. Then a rash appears, gone, the child acts completely well.
and the fever goes away. The rash, rose
pink and blotchy, starts on the chest
and upper back and spreads to the How Is Roseola Diagnosed?
arms and neck.
A health care provider will diagnose roseola on the basis of a
medical history and physical examination. Blood tests are not
usually needed.

A health care
provider will
diagnose roseola
on the basis of a
medical history
and physical
examination.

Copyright © 2017 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. Ferri’s Netter Patient Advisor 1
Downloaded from ClinicalKey.com at Canadian Assoc Med January 22, 2017.
For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright ©2017. Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
CARING FOR YOUR CHILD WITH ROSEOLA

No specific treatment is needed. Make How Is Roseola Treated?

your child more comfortable by
lowering the fever with acetaminophen Because this common childhood illness is caused by a virus, no
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don’t use ice, cold water, specific treatment is needed. Make the child more comfortable
or alcohol rubs. by lowering the fever with acetaminophen or children’s ibupro-
fen. Other things that can be done for fever are to give the child
lukewarm baths, have the child wear lightweight clothing, keep
the child quiet, and give the child cool drinks. Don’t use ice,
cold water, or alcohol rubs. Because of the rapid start of
the fever, sometimes a child may have what is called a febrile
convulsion (or seizure). In a seizure, the child may be un-
Because roseola is a viral conscious or have twitching of the arms, legs, or face. If a
infection, you can’t make seizure occurs, contact the health care provider immediately.
the rash go away faster.
Don’t put cortisone creams,
calamine lotion, or DOs and DON’Ts in Managing Roseola:
petroleum jelly (Vaseline®)
on the rash. ✔ DO treat your child as normally as possible, because this
illness is generally mild. Nothing can be done to make
the illness go away faster. The child doesn’t need a special
diet.
✔ DO call your health care provider if the illness doesn’t
Don’t give aspirin to follow the usual course.
children with viral ✔ DO call your health care provider if your child becomes
infections because of the more ill, acts as if there’s pain, or doesn’t eat or drink fairly
dangerous Reye’s normally. Your child may have another virus or very rare
syndrome that occurs complication.
with aspirin use.
; DON’T put cortisone creams, calamine lotion, or
petroleum jelly (Vaseline®) on the rash. Acetaminophen
or children’s ibuprofen can help your child feel more
comfortable.
; DON’T give aspirin to children with viral infections
because of the dangerous Reye’s syndrome that occurs
with aspirin use in children.
Call your health care provider if
your child becomes more ill, acts
as if there’s pain, or doesn’t eat
or drink fairly normally. Your child
may have another virus or very
rare complication.

FROM THE DESK OF

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact the following source:
NOTES
• American Academy of Dermatology
Tel: (847) 330-0230, (866) 503-7546
Website: http://www.aad.org

2 Ferri’s Netter Patient Advisor Copyright © 2017 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc.
Downloaded from ClinicalKey.com at Canadian Assoc Med January 22, 2017.
For personal use only. No other uses without permission. Copyright ©2017. Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.