Roseola

Overview

Roseola is a viral illness that results in a rash or skin eruption. It usually consists of a high fever and a rash that develops as the fever decreases.

• Roseola is contagious, although the way it is spread is still unknown.
• It may take between five to 15 days for a child to develop symptoms of roseola after being exposed to the disease.
• It occurs mostly in children under the age of 3 and occurs mostly in the spring and fall.
• The most serious complication that can occur with roseola is febrile seizures. This means that as the child's temperature increases, there is a chance of the child having a seizure that is directly related to the fever.
• Since roseola is a viral infection, there is no treatment known to interrupt its course. The goal of treatment is to help decrease the severity of the symptoms.
• Do not give aspirin to children who are running a fever as it is associated with the risk of developing Reye's syndrome, a serious and sometimes deadly disease.