Roseóla Infantil
Roseola is a viral disease that most commonly affects young children between 6 months and 2 years of age. It is usually marked by several days of high fever, followed by a rash just as the fever sets in. In this article, we will find out how roseola affects children. Take note.
Roseola can cause a fever for 3 to 7 days, followed by a rash that lasts from hours to a few days. Therefore, this disease does not usually require treatment, beyond the control of high fever.
Roseola is certainly a contagious infection. It is spread when a child with roseola talks, sneezes, or coughs in front of another. Small droplets travel through the air that other children can inhale, becoming infected. Roseola can be contagious during the fever phase, not at the time the rash occurs.
Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent roseola. Because it affects young children rather than adults, a childhood attack of roseola is believed to flood the individual against the disease. Unlike chickenpox and other rapidly spreading childhood viral diseases, roseola rarely causes a community-wide outbreak. The infection can occur at any time of the year.
What are the symptoms of infantile roseola?
Like the common cold, infant roseola is spread from child to child through contact with the respiratory secretions or saliva of an infected person.
Most children with infantile roseola develop a mild upper respiratory illness, followed by a high fever for a week. During this time, the child may not eat as much as usual and have swollen neck glands, as well as being irritable.
Some children develop it very slightly. Some do not even show clear evidence of the disease. Others, however, experience the full range of signs and symptoms. Babies are at higher risk for roseola because they have not yet had time to develop their own antibodies against many viruses. Roseola symptoms can include:
- Fever: Usually begins with a sudden high fever, along with a sore throat and cough. The fever usually lasts three to five days.
- Rash: When the fever subsides, a rash usually appears. This does not usually cause itching or discomfort. It can last from several hours to several days before disappearing.
- It can be accompanied by other symptoms such as irritability, mild diarrhea, decreased appetite, and swollen eyelids.
What is the timely treatment?
Roseola is a generally mild infection that usually affects children around 2 years of age. After several days of fever, the rash usually appears. In rare cases, complications arise from high fever.
Likewise, roseola treatment includes bed rest. It is also recommended to take fluids and medications to reduce fever. The little one should be kept comfortable and given plenty of fluids until he begins to feel good again.
Complications from roseola are rare. The vast majority of healthy children and adults with roseola recover quickly and completely.
Because there is no vaccine to prevent this disease, the best thing that can be done to prevent the spread of roseola is to avoid exposing your child to contact with an infected child. If your child is sick with roseola, keep him at home and away from other children until the fever has subsided.
Finally, and taking into account the episodes of fever caused by infantile roseola, we recommend that you prevent dehydration due to fever. How? Well, encouraging your child to drink clear liquids, such as water or breast milk and formula.
In any case, if your child suffers from this disease you should not worry excessively, since it is something very common. If, on the other hand, you detect that your child has seizures, you should seek medical attention immediately.
