FIFTH'S Disease - Topton,PA

Hi Chantel,

I see someone already suggested it could be hand foot mouth disease. It sounds like it could be that. I work in a daycare and almost evey child in there just had it and is better from it. It starts with a fever that goes away then the rash (starts out very faint) starts and then the blisters start. Not much you can do for it. It is highly contagious but from what I've read, once they have had it they won't get it again.

L.

It sounds like this could be Fifth's disease or Rosella. My son had both between 15 and 18 months. We didn't take him in to the doctor for either (just did phone consult) because there is really nothing you can do. Once the fever breaks they are no longer contagious and should feel better very soon! Good luck!

My daughter had it when she was a baby and my 7yr old had it just this past spring. There is nothing the dr will be able to do about it if it is 5ths disease. The rash should get better in the next day or so. I would still check with the dr to be sure. It is contaigious though. It can also be harmful to someone in the first trimester of their pregnancy though.

Hi, It really is no big deal. Once the fever is gone and the rash is there the virus is gone. Another day or so and the rash will be gone. If she was around anyone pregnant during her fever you should let them know as well as Moms of other kiddos that may have been exposed. Fifth's is the simplest virus you'll ever have to deal with.

hand foot and mouth disease check online and compare spots. Check mouth inside for sores, can be anywhere and everywhere. Is very contagious. Yes have it checked out to make sure.

If her cheeks have gotten bright red like they've been slapped, it may be it. With the other symptoms, it sounds like it could be Fifth's disease. Both of my children have had it, and it is no big deal. What you need to be concerned about is if your child was around someone who is pregnant during her contagious incubation period. That 'may' cause a problem for the fetus of the expecting mother. I pulled the following info from the CDC website.

"Usually, there is no serious complication for a pregnant woman or her baby because of exposure to a person with fifth disease. About 50% of women are already immune to parvovirus B19, and these women and their babies are protected from infection and illness. Even if a woman is susceptible and gets infected with parvovirus B19, she usually experiences only a mild illness. Likewise, her unborn baby usually does not have any problems attributable to parvovirus B19 infection.

Sometimes, however, parvovirus B19 infection will cause the unborn baby to have severe anemia and the woman may have a miscarriage. This occurs in less than 5% of all pregnant women who are infected with parvovirus B19 and occurs more commonly during the first half of pregnancy. There is no evidence that parvovirus B19 infection causes birth defects or mental retardation."

I had the fifth disease when I was little. I had the same symptoms: temperature and rash. However, my skin also peeled off of my hands and feet. My mother would have to cut it off as it sloughed from my body. It didn't hurt, as I recall, but it is alarming to look at. It eventually ran its course- I don't think they prescribed any meds for me.

I see other moms have suggested hand/foot/mouth, 5ths, and roseacia. The first thing I thought of was Scarlet Fever. My family gets strep throat every year, and usually we can tell when we have it, as apposed to an ordinary sore throat. Earlier this year my son had a fever, and a little cold. A few days later he got worse and a rash appeared all over his body. I took him to his doctor and he tested positive for strep and she said the rash was Scarlet Fever (another infection of the body, caused by untreated Strep Throat). It's better to be safe than sorry with children. I would go to your daughter's doctor and have it looked at. Let us know how it goes!

My cousin's 2 girls had Fifth's disease and I thought my son had ended up with it but I think it was just the heat getting the best of him. I looked Fifth's disease up online and got a lot of information about it. It is a virus and just has to run it's course. You don't know your child has it until the rash breaks out b/c the beginning signs of the disease are similar to the common cold. Once the rash appears, your child is no longer contageous. It's extremely common in young children and once they have it (similar to chicken pox) they build an immunity to it and rarely get it again. If you have more questions I would recommend calling your child's doctor b/c they should be able to answer your questions completely and set your worries at ease. Good luck & I hope your little one is feeling better!

Hi Chantel, My kids both had 5th Disease and when I took them they said yes and it would go away on its own. It is a virus so thay don't give meds. If I remember it took about 4 to 5 days for the rash to disappear completely. Good luck. R. C

Hi Chantel, I am a Pediatric Nurse and although I have not had child with Fifth's Disease, I do know that Fifth's disease is a viral infection. Therefore no antibiotics will work on it. The only treatment that I know of is giving the child acetaminophen or ibuprofen and leaving it alone. This disease is usually contagiuos BEFORE the rash appears and usually if the baby coughs or sneezes on someone. If you see the rash, which is a sort of lacy type rash that starts on the cheeks and then spreads to the arms and legs, then the child is no longer contageous. Hope this helps you.
Good luck, V. S.

My daughter is 22 months, she has had both fith's disease and hand foot and mouth. What you are describing sounds more like fith's disease. When my daughter had that she had a fever (around 102-103) when that broke she got a faint rash all over her chest, neck, back. However, she played and acted normal except maybe a slight decrease in appitite. With the hand foot and mouth, she had the same fever, no energy (my child who never stops- laid in my arms for 3 hours straight after a nap!) She had white sores in her throat. The dr. said she could have broken out with sores on her hands and feet- Hence hand,foot and mouth. Finally, with both of these ailments, there is no medication except tylenol/motrin for the fever/pain. It will go away on it's own. Both are highly contagiuos. Fifth's especially to pregnant women (it can harm the fetus) and Hand foot and mouth to other children (mostly under the age of 10). I hope this helps. I know each time I was worried especially since I am home with my daughter- I just didn't know where she could have gotten it. But we do go to the playground and playdates alot. Good luck! Oh yeah- don't worry about her eating just push fluids so she doesn't dehydrate!

This sounds like it could be rosalea. A rash appears after a fever subsides. My daughter had it this past winter. With Fifth's disease, I believe the rash looks like a slap on the face.

I doubt very highly that it is 5ths disease. Sounds like Roseola or just a rash from the fever, which is very common. It will moslty likely dissipate by itself. I wouldnt be too concerned about it. Children get rahes and fevers often that we never really know the cause of.

Believe it or not, fifth's disease is pretty common. My 2 year old had it 3 times. It's viral and they may keep her home from day care (if she goes) but once the virus passses, she'll be fine. The only thing is be very careful about close contact with her...after the last time that my son had it, I actually got the adult form of it. It is extremely uncomfortable and took 3 months of blood tests and trial & error to figure it out. The adult form is called Parvo Virus and mimics rheumatoid arthritis so just be careful and wash your hands all the time until the virus passes. She'll be fine!

All 3 of my children just had fifth's disease. It's very common in children and there's really no treatment. Children are contagious before you see any symptoms. Once the rash appears, it's too late to isolate the child from other children because incubation time is prior to symptoms. Fever is one of the symptoms, also headache, fatigue, sore throat, congestion,"slapped cheek" rash and the rash can spread to the rest of the body including the buttocks. The rash on the body is "veiny" looking. The rash goes away and may return so if that happens, don't panic, it's normal. Of course, every child acts differently. If it weren't for the rash, I would have never known my kids were sick :)! Google Fifth's disease and you'll get a lot of info, including pics of how the rash looks. I never took my kids to the pediatrician because there's nothing they can do for it but talked to the nurse and she warned me about the rash returning and that it was o.k. for my kids to be around other children, even with the rash. So, hopefully that helps! Fifth disease SOUNDS so serious, but really it isn't and you just have to let it take it's course. Good luck!

My son actually just had this. He's 22 months old. The rash would randomly appear on his body and he had a temp of 102.3, the dr said it was from a virus and the rash was caused by the high temp. Sure enough he ended up with the flu the next day, then I got it, then the hubby got it. Its going around pretty badly right now. Definately get her checked out! With a rash it's hard to say and it could be multiple things.

My child had a fever but the only other symptom was beet red cheeks looks like bright red skin. The slight
rash all over could be roseola also. Need a doctor to determine. Best of luck to you. You have to ride it out on this one. I think they can give some kind of medication to help it. It's been a long time since my 12 year old had it as a baby. K. from saylorsburg, pa