I asked yesterday about my daughter's red face. Many of you suggested it might be fifths disease. The rash is now on her arms and looks lacy so I am sure that is what she has. Now what? It is a virus and they can't treat it. One website said to take the child to the Dr. if the rash appears and I am not sure why if they can't do anything to treat it. What do you think?
Also, MORE IMPORTANTLY, my son has a teammate and his mom is very pregnant. Now I'm stressed. What if my son, 8 yo, has it and has exposed her son? My son doesn't have ANY symptoms but my daughter didn't show any signs except being a little grouchy until she got the rash. What should I do???
Thanks for the advice. I needed input from moms who have dealt with this. I hate to take my kids to the drs. office if it isn't totally necessary because they will just get exposed to more stuff. I didn't want to take her in and sit in the waiting room next to kids with all kinds of sick germs if he was just going to say, "yep she's got fifths disease and there's nothing we can do except give her Tylenol for the aches." I tried to call the drs. office but they were gone. We aren't going to church tomorrow, just in case the other two kids have it. I am also going to notify all of the other moms on the team since there may be one who is pregnant and isn't showing yet. I will also be calling the Dr.s office on Tuesday. I doubt they will be there on the 4th. Thanks again!
Go to the doctor or ER and/or call and ask about possibly exposing others, especially the pregnant woman.
Blessings.....
Wait, people go to the doctor for fifth's disease? Even the ER? I had no idea. It isn't that big a deal. Most of mine have gotten it at one point or another. You have a lifetime immunity one you've gotten it. It's a lot like chicken pox, just not nearly as severe. Most kids can get through it without any intervention at all.
It's spread through saliva/mucous/blood contact. It isn't a skin-to-skin transfer. How likely is it that your son and the teammate could have come into saliva/mucous/blood contact? Also, once the rash appears, your child is no longer contagious. HOWEVER, not everyone ends up with any symptoms at all. Some people have it and never know. Keep your son home for a while and see if he develops the rash. Even if he doesn't, keep him away from other for a bit. Call the mom who is pregnant (how pregnant? It's not much of a danger to a pregnant woman past the first trimester, is my understanding...) and let her know.
Here's how WE deal with it:
Give oatmeal baths for the itching, which also helps with the acheyness. Here's a link to make your own: http://babyparenting.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/oatmealb.... Make the bath tepid, you don't want it overly warm because it will make the itching worse. Don't make it cold, though, as they will make the aching worse.
Beyond that, we give vitamins and herbs for the chest congestion that comes with it. Usually vitamin C, FeverFew (anti-inflammatory), lots of garlic, and eucalyptus oil on the pillow at night.
Your daughter is no longer contagious. She was contagious BEFORE she got the rash. It is not a big deal to anyone EXCEPT pregnant ladies. You need to tell that other mom that she may have been exposed to it. She will go to the OB and have a blood draw and they should be able to tell her by the end of the day whether or not she is immune to it. Most women are. If she is not then her OB will take it from there.
Don't feel bad about it though! How were you supposed to know?
L.
you need to tell your son's friends mother about it. She needs to have her dr check and see if she has titers to the virus or not. I have had parvo virus b19 (fifths) when I was pregnant. I happened to be the 1% of women were it crossed the placenta. We lost 1 baby but managed to carry his twin to term. So tell her and let her decided if she wannts to talk to her dr.
Your questions are exactly why you need to at least call your daughter's doctor. Dr. Google doesn't count as treating your daughter or getting professional information.
Don't waste your time or money going to the doctor. This is a very common disease that runs rampant through pre-school and kindergarten classes. Once the rash appears, it's no longer contagious, so bringing her to the doctor will only cost you money for the doctor to say, "yup, its fifth's disease and we can do nothing about it." It takes about 5-7 days before anyone in the family that hasn't had it before to show signs. Usually it starts with a low-grade fever and then the rash appears later. The fever may make them a bit grouchy, but it shouldn't last long. Reduce their sugar intake (even fruit juices) because it lowers the immune system function, let them get plenty of rest and water.
Both my kiddos got it and when the rash came out they felt fine--although they looked like they had the plague!
Document all your son's symptoms (and when they occurred) and either take him to the Doctor on Monday, with your list of symptom information, or call and ask the Dr's office about them. You can ask them at that time all your questions, particularly concerning the pregnant mom of your son's teammate.
call your dr. That's always the easiest & best way to handle illness.
By the time the child shows symptoms, they're not contagious anymore, as per the letter my kids' school nurse sent out a few weeks ago. Give your pediatrician a call just to see if there's anything further that you need to do, but the school nurse told us to administer Tylenol as necessary. He told us that it can last, on and off, up to a month! Good times.
There is great information on this at : www.fithdisease.org
Although their is not a treatment for this and it has to run it's coarse; I would diffinently seek naturalk products to build the immune system. Read the aritlce at filthdisease.org then visit http://choice-wellness.myshaklee.com for immune building products because in some cases tge red blood cell count drops.
i was pregnant when my mom got it. and my daughter had it as well while i was pregnant. i was fine. the dr's can't do anything about it. i know that there are body aches sometimes contributed to the rash, so maybe some motrin.
There really is nothing you can do for this but wait it out and make the child comfortable with ibuprofin if they ache. I would just call the doctor on Tuesday to find out about the pregnant woman.
When my kids had it they resolved pretty easily. I got it myself 2 summers ago and it was awful! Felt so bad and the red rash came and went for months afterward. So try to make sure that YOU keep up the hygeine when you are around her.
My pediatrician didn't want me to take my guy in, he was considered too contagious even though the rash had already appeared. I was told they didn't need to see him unless the rash got worse or he was feverish.
Was the mom of your son's teammate exposed to your daughter? If not she should be OK. If she was take heart, she and her baby should be OK, I just found this on a gov't site: "About 50% of women are already immune to parvovirus B19 aka Fifth's Disease, and these women and their babies are protected from infection and illness. Even if a woman is susceptible and gets infected with parvovirus B19, she usually experiences only a mild illness. Likewise, her unborn baby usually does not have any problems attributable to parvovirus B19 infection."
Just let the mom know if she was possibly exposed so she can alert her OB/GYN and have a blood test. In any event don't stress, you had no idea. And I'm glad your daughter is OK, my guy got over it just fine and I'm sure she will, too : )
Go to the Dr. Do not compromise on health and safety.
