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From Nurse Redmon
If your child has bright red cheeks but has not been playing outdoors in the cold, it might be fifth disease. This common childhood illness got its name from where it fell on historical list of six common skin rash illnesses in children. It is caused by a virus called parvovirus B19, which is also known as Erythema infectiosum.
Outbreaks of fifth disease are common among preschool-age and elementary school-age children, especially in late winter to early spring. In August 2024, however, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a rising number of cases of fifth disease in the U.S.
Many people with fifth disease have mild or no symptoms. When they do have symptoms, these may include a mild rash, fever, runny nose, muscle aches and a headache. Fifth disease starts off like many other viral infections. Because of this, it can be hard to know for sure if your child has it.
A bright red rash that first appears with fifth disease is what is known as the "slapped cheek" rash. Sometimes another rash that looks lacy appears a few days later. A second rash often starts on the trunk and spreads to the arms, legs, and even the soles of the feet. It may be itchy but usually goes away after about a week. Even after a child is better, a rash can reappear weeks or months later. This typically happens when your child is hot, like while they are exercising or bathing, for example.
Fifth disease spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets. A child is most contagious in the first 5 days before the rash appears. The symptoms in the first phase are fever, muscle aches and tiredness. Once the rash appears, the person is no longer contagious.
Good hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of fifth disease in school, child care, and at home. Remind children to cough or sneeze into a tissue or their elbow, but not their hand, and to throw away used tissues. It is also important to make sure surfaces and objects are cleaned and sanitized regularly.
When you see a rash caused by parvovirus, your child is no longer contagious.
American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Infectious Disease (Copyright © 2024)
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