Question:
“My 1-year-old daughter had a fever for two days, but there were no other symptoms like cough or cold. She still ate and didn’t vomit. When the fever broke, a rash erupted. Could she have baby measles? If so, what’s the treatment?” — Cindy Carreon-Pimentel, mom of 1, QC
Answer:
With any sick child, the most important thing is that the child is active, playful and taking in food and liquids. Roseola Infantum is an example of the spectrum of extremely common childhood diseases known as “Viral Exanthems,” meaning that they’re caused by viruses (as opposed to bacteria) and tend to have a rash as one of the symptoms (i.e. exanthem).
Among the more common Viral Exanthems, the typically nasty ones (Measles and German Measles) are covered by vaccinations. So if your child is vaccinated, that would afford a good degree of protection against these illnesses.
As with any sick child, yours will typically have a decreased appetite. This is fine, as long as your child is still taking in some food and water (or just milk, in the case of infant’s under 6 months).
The rule of thumb is that if your child is urinating regularly and still able to play. If that’s the case, then you shouldn’t be too worried.
Things that would be important to note for your doctor would be when the fever started, if there is an accompanying rash and when it started in relation to the fever, and if there are any other sick people that your child had contact with previously.
Treatment for Roseola Infantum
The good news is that most Viral Exanthems like Roseola Infantum are typically self-limiting. All you need to do is support the child through the ordeal as he/she gets better. Antibiotics will do nothing for a viral illness.
Symptoms such as a fever can be managed by giving medication such as paracetamol (as prescribed by your doctor, of course). You can also use natural remedies such as sponge baths or letting the child drink ginger tea, take powdered garlic capsules or take immune-boosting herbs such as Echinacea. It is important to note that the child’s age would be a large factor in deciding what treatments would be appropriate to give.
Things you want to watch out for are if your child stops being active or playful, has any trouble breathing or experiences any febrile convulsions. The latter is more common if you or your spouse have had a history of febrile convulsions when you were kids. If your child experiences any febrile convulsions, you need to bring him/her to your pediatrician right away.
Important things to do for a Febrile Convulsion
- DO NOT put anything in your child’s mouth. This is a common misconception that may injure or harm your child.
- If your child vomits (very common during a febrile convulsion), turn the head to the side or make your child lie on the side to prevent choking.
- Afterwards, keep your child upright and make sure that he/she can comfortably breathe properly.
- Seek medical help. While most febrile convulsions are benign, there is no way to say with certainty unless you bring your child to a pediatrician for evaluation.
If you have any doubts or concerns, do not hesitate to bring your child to your pediatrician. There is really no substitute for having someone qualified do a full physical examination and take a full history of your child’s illness.
Hope this helps! Feel free to contact me for anything further.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: DR. JUAN LUIS CAMARA SINGSON
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