Fifth Disease-Viral Rash

When To Call

Call 911 Now

• You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Only 1 cheek is red and also has fever
• High Risk child (such as those with a chronic medical problem or weak immune system)
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Fever higher than 102° F (39° C)
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Sore throat lasts more than 48 hours
• Mother or other caregiver is pregnant
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Fifth disease suspected

Care Advice

What You Should Know About Fifth Disease:

• It is a viral rash that is harmless.
• It does not itch or hurt.
• It can be treated at home.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Fever Medicine:

• For fevers higher than 102° F (39° C), give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
• Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
• Note: fevers less than 102° F (39° C) are important for fighting infections.
• For all fevers: keep your child well hydrated. Give lots of cold fluids.

Pregnant Women - Special Risk:

• The risk of Fifth disease is to the unborn babies of pregnant women. It is not harmful to the woman herself.
• A pregnant woman should see her doctor if she is exposed.
• He will do a test to see if the mother has had the disease. If she has, she is protected.
• If not, the pregnancy will need to be watched closely. Some babies that get it before birth can have problems. Ten percent can have a very low red blood cell count and 2% may die.
• But, birth defects are never a result of this virus.

What to Expect:

• The lace-like rash can come and go for 1 to 3 weeks.

Return to School:

• Once your child has the "slapped cheeks," they can no longer spread the illness. Also, the lacy rash cannot be spread to others either.
• Your child does not need to stay home from child care or school.
• It can be spread during the week before the rash begins.
• Exposed children should try not to have any contact with pregnant women. This may be hard to know ahead of time.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Fever higher than 102° F (39° C) occurs
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

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Photos

Fifth disease

There is redness and puffiness of both cheeks; this is the first sign of Fifth's Disease.

Source: CDC PHIL
From the CDC's Public Health Image Library (http://phil.cdc.gov), ID#4510, in the public domain.