Fifth Disease?

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GilaMinumBeer

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Found out today my Son, 2 year old, has contracted Fifth Disease. A viral rash.

Anyone else out there dealt with this? And what did you find were the best remedies for the itch?
 
My son got this a little while back, The doc prescribed us some kind of cream for it. Did he not give you any?
 
My daughter's school had an outbreak of this a while ago, she never contracted it, but apparently it looks worse than it is.

A few of the parents used Benydryl Allergy medication for relief of itching, but I would call the doctor or ask a pharmacist. Also Baking Soda baths were also suggested.

I would still ask a doctor since some parents would find any reason whatsoever to medicate their children.
 
It's also called "Slap Cheek" because that's what many kids who contract it look like, someone who just got slapped silly.

Both my sons have had it, as have a couple of my sister's kids, and she's on the west coast, so it's not location dependent.

My wife could tell you much more, but I do recall that it's not really a big deal when kids get it, but if an adult contracts it the disease has some complications that can be fatal. Kind of like chicken pox.

There's tons of resources available about it:
http://www.medicinenet.com/fifth_disease/article.htm

Or WebMD, or other places.
 
I have read many of the on-line resources about it and they all pretty much say the same thing. I was hoping to hear from some parents who have actually dealt with it.

So, it's not a big deal for the child?

How long did it last? And has it ever come back?

My son is scheduled to see his Pediatrician today at 2:00. Thta was the earliest I could get him in. Maybe they will prescribe something. I am not one to jump at medicating my child but, if I have to choose between my child being miserable or comfortable, I will always choose the latter.
 
Cassie had it a while back, I can't remember what the remedy was but I remember it ultimately not being a very big deal at all. I'll ask The Wife when I get home tonight. I do remember it being a pretty common thing.
 
We didn't get any prescription. We simply gave the boys Infant Tylenol and Infant Advil, rotated one every 4-6 hours, to deal with any fever, and that was it.
 
Yes, my kids got it in day care when they were younger. I don't remember even taking them to the pediatrician- just some children's tylenol. I don't think they needed anything for the itching, they weren't really itchy like when they had chicken pox. I think they missed about 3 days of day care, and were fine the entire time.

When they were in day care, they got hand, foot, and mouth disease, Fifth's Disease, Chicken Pox, and pink eye. My daughter got pneumonia from another child, and my son got mono when it went around. I'm so glad those days are long behind me- but I do sympathize with you other parents!
 
Daycare is a like a petri dish. Our doctor says it's actually a good thing for the kids to get exposed to all this stuff, it builds up their immune system apparently. My kids end up getting about half of the colds and what not that go around, so I guess we're lucky.
 
We didn't get any prescription. We simply gave the boys Infant Tylenol and Infant Advil, rotated one every 4-6 hours, to deal with any fever, and that was it.

I think that may have been all we did. I do remember bring her into the pedicatrician's, and Fifth's sounding a lot scarier than it really was. The key was rotating between those medicines, so that you aren't doubling up on either's recommended dosage.
 
Here's to hoping no one's child on this forum comes down with Kawasaki's Disease, that was a terrifying one.

Oh, and Rotavirus sucks for all parties involved, if there's an outbreak in your kid's school bring them home immediately. This one is way bad for them and you too!
 
Here's to hoping no one's child on this forum comes down with Kawasaki's Disease, that was a terrifying one.

Oh, and Rotavirus sucks for all parties involved, if there's an outbreak in your kid's school bring them home immediately. This one is way bad for them and you too!

Oh, yes! I almost forgot Rotavirus. That put my son in the hospital when he was 2 years old, due to the constant vomiting and diarrhea. He needed IV fluids and they had to get the fever down. Within two days, though, he was fine.
 
Here's to hoping no one's child on this forum comes down with Kawasaki's Disease, that was a terrifying one.

Oh, and Rotavirus sucks for all parties involved, if there's an outbreak in your kid's school bring them home immediately. This one is way bad for them and you too!

Oh, yes! I almost forgot Rotavirus. That put my son in the hospital when he was 2 years old, due to the constant vomiting and diarrhea. He needed IV fluids and they had to get the fever down. Within two days, though, he was fine.


Both of my kids had the Rotavirus. NASTY!!!! The youngest had it worse. Everything he took in came back up. He couldn't even keep water or Pedialyte down. He needed an IV, too, but just in the Doc's office. He was so exhausted that as soon as he started to rehydrate from the IV, he zonked out and slept for almost a full day.
 
Ya my son has had Rotovirus twice now and it is awful, He also got Pneumonia and croop at the same time once, We were beside ourselves thought he had whooping cough and he spent 3 days in the ICU at the hospital.
 
Here's to hoping no one's child on this forum comes down with Kawasaki's Disease, that was a terrifying one.

Oh, and Rotavirus sucks for all parties involved, if there's an outbreak in your kid's school bring them home immediately. This one is way bad for them and you too!

My neighbor's kid (he's about 8) got Kawasaki's Disease. They were pretty scared and had him in the hospital for about 4 days. He's still got another couple months of aspirin therapy but he's doing alright. He had incomplete Kawasaki's Disease, otherwise he might not had made it through.

Both of my son's and subsequently I and SWMBO have both had Rotavirus (stomach flu) several times now. It sucks, but it seems like each time it gets easier.
 
To date, the worse thing we have had to deal with is RSV. Which had him pretty weak for a while. Thank goodness no hospital stays tho'. Looks around for something wooden to knock on.
 
To date, the worse thing we have had to deal with is RSV. Which had him pretty weak for a while. Thank goodness no hospital stays tho'. Looks around for something wooden to knock on.

Well. RSV can be bad, but it sounds like he came through that fine.

Fifth should be a piece of cake by comparison! I used to work in a pediatrician's office, and I remember Fifth being "at least it's not................." (one of the other "four" diseases).

As long as your wife isn't pregnant, no worries at all. Even if she is, she may be immune to it anyway.
 
We used to makea combination ointment and keep a batch around the house in a small tupperware container. It had a 1 ounce tube of each of the following:

1. Neosporin ( or Tripple Antibiotic Ointment)
2. Monistat 7
3. Hydrocortisone Ointment
4. Zinc Oxide ( the white stuff you put on your nose if you spend the day in a boat)


Mix it up really well and keep it cool. We use it on anything that itches and it works miracles.
 
Update.

Turns out my sons conditions were an odd combination of circumstances.

The rash has been diagnosed as an allergy to grasses and the red cheeks are the result of a mild case of eczema. His cheeks have already cleared and the rash is nearly gone.

He has always suffered mildl from allergies but, I suppose this is the first year he has experienced grassy summer conditions. Last year he was too small to be out in the grasses. Whats odd tho' is that he has been outside nearly everyday since it has been warm enough and has never had this sondition. Perhaps it's just a sign of the changing season. What's more, because of his continued allergy reaction he has ben taking Zyrtec regularly so, I am a little skeptical about the allergy diagnosis but am glad to hear that his condition is not the result of Fifth Disease, or worse.
 
Glad to hear things are clearing up. We currently have a nanny, but she is leaving and the kids are going back to a daycare. Your post yesterday has had me sort of thinking about what weird bugs are lurking...the facility is a very nice one, but you never know.
 
Glad to hear things are clearing up. We currently have a nanny, but she is leaving and the kids are going back to a daycare. Your post yesterday has had me sort of thinking about what weird bugs are lurking...the facility is a very nice one, but you never know.


Ours is a very small daycare with an excellent reputation. One of those in home daycares that has been operating since dirt was invented. Really, I think one of their activities used to be stone wheel carving.

It's a 2 star faciltiy and the Owner/Operator is an wonderful person. Her fee is really fair and she only carries 8 children at a time. She'll actually refuse taking on kids if she knows a current member is pregnant to assure that a spot is available.

She also owns a lot of real estate on the side and make a large chunk of her income that way.
 
Oh my god, guys. I'm never having children.

By the way, I looked up Kawasaki's on wikipedia and it says it's not contagious. It goes on to say this, which is basically just gibberish to me: "However, current etiological theories center primarily on immunological causes for the disease. Much research is being performed to discover a definitive toxin or antigenic substance, possibly a superantigen, that is the specific cause of the disease. An unknown virus may play a role as an inciting factor as well."
 
Oh my god, guys. I'm never having children.

By the way, I looked up Kawasaki's on wikipedia and it says it's not contagious. It goes on to say this, which is basically just gibberish to me: "However, current etiological theories center primarily on immunological causes for the disease. Much research is being performed to discover a definitive toxin or antigenic substance, possibly a superantigen, that is the specific cause of the disease. An unknown virus may play a role as an inciting factor as well."

Meh. I thougt that too. Now I want more.

The absolute hardest part of parenting is the whole "child not able to tell you what is wrong" bit. But, it doesn't take long for you to learn the cues.
 
Oh my god, guys. I'm never having children.

By the way, I looked up Kawasaki's on wikipedia and it says it's not contagious. It goes on to say this, which is basically just gibberish to me: "However, current etiological theories center primarily on immunological causes for the disease. Much research is being performed to discover a definitive toxin or antigenic substance, possibly a superantigen, that is the specific cause of the disease. An unknown virus may play a role as an inciting factor as well."
Yup, that's about it. It's scary when they have your two year old on two IV drips, and they're carting him off for a sonogram of heart every 6 to 12 hours, and then the pediatric cardiologist from Chapel Hill actually misses a 3 mm aneurysm on a coronary artery, that's scary. To have to drag your kid on a 3 hour drive to another hospital before you finally find some medical professionals who do more than just shrug when you ask what's wrong with your kid, that's scary. I can say that the cardiology group at Pitt County Memorial Hospital in Greenville, NC are top notch, A1, cream of the crop doctors, and I have my doubts about Chapel Hill these days.
 
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