What is roseola?
Roseola (roseola infantum) is a mild illness caused by a virus. It is generally harmless and is most common in children 6 months to 2 years of age. It is rare after age 4.
What causes it?
Roseola is caused by two common viruses. The viruses belong to the family of herpes viruses, but they don't cause the cold sores or genital infections that herpes simplex viruses can cause. They are spread through tiny droplets of fluid from the nose and throat of infected people when they laugh, talk, sneeze, or cough. Roseola mostly spreads from infected people who don't show symptoms.
If your child has roseola, keep them at home until there has been no fever for 24 hours and they are feeling better.
What are the symptoms?
Roseola often starts with a sudden high fever [103 °F (39.4 °C) to 105 °F (40.6 °C)] that lasts 2 to 3 days, although it can last up to 8 days. The rapid increase in temperature may be the first sign of roseola and often occurs before you realize that your child has a fever. The fever ends suddenly.
After the fever ends, a rash may appear mostly on the trunk (torso), neck, and arms. On light skin, the rash appears rosy-pink. In children with darker skin, the rash may be harder to see or be a faint red or purple in color. The rash isn't itchy and may last 1 to 2 days.
In rare cases, a sore throat, stomachache, vomiting, and diarrhea occur.
A child with roseola may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite. But most children behave almost normally.
Roseola generally is harmless. Like any illness that can cause a fever, it can cause fever seizures, which are uncontrolled muscle spasms and unresponsiveness that last 1 to 3 minutes. The fever seizure is caused by the sudden, rapid increase in temperature. After a fever has reached a high temperature, the risk of a seizure is probably over.
How is it diagnosed?
Roseola is diagnosed through a medical history and physical exam. The doctor often knows it's roseola if your child had a fever and now has a distinct rash.
How is roseola treated?
The roseola fever can be managed with acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin). Be safe with medicines. Read and follow all instructions on the label. If you give medicine to your baby, follow your doctor's advice about what amount to give. Do not give aspirin to children and teens. It has been linked to Reye syndrome, a rare but serious illness.
The roseola rash will go away without medical treatment.
