Scarlet Fever Symptoms
Scarlet fever symptoms start with a sore throat, swollen glands and a high temperature. A few days later a red rash appears. It starts on the neck, face and underarms or groin and spreads to the body. The rash looks like sunburn and feels rough, like sandpaper. The rash may appear brighter in the folds of the skin, such as on the elbows or knees. Children’s tongues often turn bright red, which is called a strawberry tongue. The rash may fade after the infection goes away.
What does scarlet fever look like on a child?
A doctor will diagnose simptome scarlatina fever by asking about symptoms and doing a physical exam. They will also swab the back of your child’s throat to get a sample for a strep throat test. The strep test will quickly show if group A strep bacteria are causing the illness. If the strep test is positive, doctors will prescribe antibiotics to treat the strep throat and scarlet fever.
While there is no vaccine to prevent group A strep throat, you can help protect your child by encouraging them to wash their hands frequently, especially after coughing or sneezing and before eating. They should avoid sharing drinks, utensils and toys. Children should also cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing to keep germs from spreading in the air.
Treatment for scarlet fever and strep throat usually involves 10 days of antibiotics, which will kill the bacteria and make your child feel better. They should stay home from school or work until 24 hours after starting antibiotics, and they should take ibuprofen (Advil, Children’s Motrin, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) for pain and fever.
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