Roseola: symptoms, causes, treatment, etc. & bull; hello healthy

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Definition

What is roseola?

Roseola, also known as roseola infantum, exanthem subitum, or sixth disease, is a type of mild disease caused by a virus. This disease is generally harmless and occurs most often in children aged 6 months to 2 years.

Some of the signs and symptoms that arise when a child has this disease are fever, runny nose, cough, sore throat, and rash. The rash usually appears after the fever has subsided. Since the disease is generally harmless, signs and symptoms will usually subside a week after.

The emergence of this disease is generally caused by infection with several types of viruses, namely herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7). Triggered by a viral infection, roseola is a contagious disease. If your child is near a sufferer who talks, sneezes, or coughs, this can increase the risk of transmission.

How common is roseola?

Roseola is a very common disease, especially in early childhood development. Most children who are infected with this disease virus are 6 months to 2 years old.

This disease is very rarely found in children aged 4 years and over. However, it is possible that adolescents and adults can suffer from this disease.

Roseola is a condition that can be controlled by recognizing existing risk factors. To find out more information about this disease, you can consult your doctor.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of roseola?

If your child is near someone who is infected with roseola virus, it generally takes 1 or 2 weeks for signs and symptoms of infection to appear in your child.

So, it is possible that your child has been infected with this condition, even though there are no signs and symptoms that appear and are recognized.

Here are some of the signs and symptoms that are commonly seen in sufferers of this disease:

1. Fever

Roseola usually starts with a sudden high fever. The patient's body temperature will generally reach more than 39.4 C.

In some cases, the child may also experience a mild sore throat, runny nose, and cough that comes with or after a fever. The child may also have swollen lymph nodes in the neck, which is accompanied by fever. The fever usually lasts 3-5 days.

2. Rash

After the fever has subsided, a rash will usually appear. The rash consists of many small pink spots. These spots are generally evenly distributed throughout, but some of the spots may swell.

In some cases, there will be a white ring around the spots. The rash generally appears on the chest, back, and stomach, which then spreads to the neck and arms.

The rash may reach the legs and face. The rash, which is not itchy or uncomfortable, can last from several hours to several days before disappearing. However, you need to know that not all children will experience a rash.

3. Respiratory disorders

Some children may also experience mild breathing problems before or along with the onset of fever.

Signs and symptoms that appear when a child's respiratory system is compromised include:

• Cough
• Diarrhea
• Fussy
• Loss of appetite
• Cold
• Sore or sore throat
• Swelling of the eyelids
• Swollen lymph nodes in the neck

In addition, there are other signs and symptoms that may appear, namely:

• Itching in babies and children
• Mild diarrhea
• Decreased appetite
• Swollen eyelids

There may still be a number of symptoms not listed above. If you have questions about symptoms, consult your doctor.

When to go to the doctor

Contact your doctor if:

• The child has a fever of more than 39.4 C
• The child has symptoms and fever that lasts more than 7 days
• The rash doesn't get better after 3 days
• Your immune system is compromised and you come into direct contact with someone with roseola

In addition, you should call an ambulance or medical personnel as soon as possible if your child develops any of the following symptoms:

• Have a seizure for the first time, although symptoms seem to improve
• The seizure lasts more than five minutes
• Look confused, disoriented, or weak
• Loss of consciousness

Always discuss with your doctor to find the best solution for your situation.

The body of every child with roseola displays signs and symptoms of varying severity and duration. To get the most appropriate treatment and according to your child's health condition, always check with the doctor or the nearest health service center.

Cause

What causes roseola?

The most common cause of roseola is the human herpes virus 6, but it can also be caused by another herpes virus — the human herpes virus 7.

Roseola rarely causes outbreaks in large communities. Infection can appear at any time.

How is roseola virus spread?

Like other viral illnesses, such as the flu, roseola is spread from one person to another through contact with the respiratory tract or saliva of an infected person. For example, a healthy child who shares a glass with a child who has roseola may be exposed to the virus.

Roseola is contagious even when there is no rash. This means that the condition can spread if the infected child only has a fever, even before the child has roseola. Watch for signs of roseola if your child has interacted with other children who have this disease.

Risk factors

What increases a child's risk of developing roseola?

Roseola is a disease that can occur in almost anyone, regardless of age group and racial group. However, there are several factors that can increase a person's risk for developing this condition.

You need to know that if a person has one or more risk factors, it does not mean that the person will suffer from a disease. It does not rule out that a disease can be suffered without any risk factors.

The following are risk factors that can trigger roseola:

1. Age

Infants aged 6 months to toddlers aged 2 years are most at risk of developing this disease. This is because their bodies are not yet fully able to develop antibodies on their own, so the body has difficulty fighting exposure to the virus.

While in the womb, babies receive antibodies from their mothers, so their bodies can be protected from various kinds of infections. However, this immunity will decrease over time.

2. Gender

Apart from the age factor, gender also affects the susceptibility of children to suffer from this disease. Although the exact cause is still unknown, this disease is more common in girls than boys.

Complications

What are the complications caused by roseola?

In general, this disease can disappear on its own and will not cause significant health problems. Patients generally will recover within 1 week after symptoms first appear.

However, in some cases, it is possible that this disease can cause serious health complications, such as:

1. Seizures

According to the UK's National Health Service (NHS), some children who suffer from this condition will experience symptoms or seizures febrile seizure. This condition generally occurs in children who experience an increase in body temperature for too short a time.

The seizures can usually cause temporary loss of consciousness, a jerk in the legs, hands, or head, and loss of control over bowel movements.

2. Health problems in patients with poor immune systems

Patients with a weak immune system may experience more severe complications if exposed to the roseola virus. Some examples include people with HIV, AIDS, or leukemia.

In addition, people who have or have recently received a donor or organ transplant are also more susceptible to complications. The symptoms that appear may be more severe than those of ordinary sufferers. The time needed to recover is much longer.

Not only that, other health problems such as pneumonia or inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) may occur and are potentially life threatening.

Diagnosis & treatment

The information described is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How do doctors diagnose roseola?

Generally, this disease is difficult to detect because the early signs and symptoms resemble other diseases that are often found in infants and children. If your child has an unusual fever and you believe your child does not have any other illness, consult a doctor immediately.

The doctor will diagnose this disease with a physical examination and medical history. Usually, doctors look for signs of a rash or swelling of the lymph nodes. Doctors often know that a child has this disease if the child's body temperature rises and has a specific rash.

In some cases associated with acute seizures, your doctor will recommend laboratory tests that include:

• Complete blood count test (complete blood count)
• Urinalysis or urine tests
• Blood culture
• Cerebrospinal fluid examination

How to treat roseola?

There is no specific treatment targeted at treating roseola directly. However, there are several types of drugs that can help reduce the symptoms that your child is suffering from, ranging from acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or meeting the child's body fluid needs.

1. Free drugs (over the counter)

You can give several types of over-the-counter medicines without a doctor's prescription to your child. These drugs include acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin).

In using it, you must always read carefully the instructions listed on the medicine package. If you are still unsure, you can call your doctor.

If you are giving medicine to a baby, follow the doctor's advice about the amount of medicine to give. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20 years because of the risk of developing Reye's syndrome.

2. Antiviral treatment

Your doctor may also prescribe antiviral drugs, such as ganciclovir (Cytovene). This drug is useful for patients with weak immune systems, so that the virus will not replicate in the body.

You do not need to use antibiotic medication because antibiotics do not work against viruses.

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can help your child with roseola?

As happens with most viruses, roseola disease and the virus that causes it will die off within a few days. After the fever has subsided, the child will generally feel much better. However, sometimes the child becomes more fussy and cries easily due to the symptoms.

Here are tips for treating and overcoming fever in children at home:

1. Get plenty of rest

The child may feel more comfortable lying in bed until the fever has subsided. However, you must ensure that your child's condition is fully recovered and you should prevent your child from playing outside the house too often while they are still recovering.

2. Drink lots of fluids

Invite or teach children to meet their body fluid needs. This cannot only be done by drinking water. You can serve infused water, clear broth soup, or drink isotonic drinks so that the fluid levels in the body return to normal.

Before giving a carbonated drink, remove gas bubbles from the drink. You can do this by letting the drink sit for a while until the soda is gone, or by shaking, pouring, or stirring the drink.

Soda in drinks can make your child uncomfortable by burping or passing gas.

3. Wiping the child's body

Bathing with a sponge or washcloth using lukewarm water can reduce discomfort in children due to fever. The most important thing you need to pay attention to is to avoid using ice cubes, cold water, fans, or cold showers as they may make children shiver.

There is no specific treatment for roseola rash, which fades on its own in no time.

How to prevent a child from roseola?

Until now, there is no vaccine that can prevent roseola. The best thing you can do to prevent transmission of the virus is to keep your child away from other people or environments that are infected with the virus.

If the child is infected with the virus, keep the child indoors, and keep the child away from other children until the fever has decreased.

If a family member comes in contact with the virus, make sure all family members wash their hands often to prevent spreading the virus to anyone who is not immune.

Adults who haven't had roseola as children can become infected later, although the disease tends to be mild in healthy adults. However, infected adults can pass the virus to children.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor to better understand the best solution for you.

Hello Health Group does not provide health advice, diagnosis or treatment.