Scarlet fever is a fairly common and dangerous infectious disease, which is accompanied by lesions of the larynx, as well as the appearance of a small rash on the skin. Statistics show that children are more prone to such a disease than adults. That is why many parents are interested in questions about how the symptoms of scarlet fever in a child look and how the treatment of the disease occurs.
Scarlet fever: the main causes of the disease
As already mentioned, this is an infectious disease caused by streptococci. And before you find out what the main symptoms of scarlet fever in a child are, it is worth asking through the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. In fact, the source of infection is an infected person, and it can be either a sick person or a hidden carrier of bacteria. The transmission path is mostly airborne. Nevertheless, it is possible to become infected by sharing dishes and cutlery, toys, clothes, bedding, towels, etc. The incubation period is relatively short - the first signs appear 3-7 days after the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the body.
Scarlet fever in children: photo and main signs
The disease, as a rule, begins acutely and unexpectedly. In fact, the symptoms of scarlet fever in a child are very characteristic, they can hardly be overlooked:
- The disease begins with a sharp rise in body temperature to 38-40 degrees. In this case, the child complains of chills, weakness, dizziness.
- A few hours later, rashes appear on the skin. The rash with scarlet fever in children looks like small bright pink vesicles. They cover mainly the skin of the cheeks, hands, buttocks, inguinal and axillary folds.
- Scarlet fever also affects the throat, leading to the development of tonsillitis of varying severity. A close examination can reveal a red swollen pharynx. The kid complains of sore throat, refuses food and drink.
- The first 3-4 days, the child’s tongue is covered with a brown coating, which then disappears, exposing the tissues of a rich red color - this symptom is called the “raspberry” language.
What is the danger of scarlet fever?
Having noticed the main symptoms of scarlet fever in a child, you should immediately call a doctor or take the baby to the hospital. In no case can you ignore the problem or self-medicate. The fact is that in the absence of therapy, the disease is accompanied by a number of complications. In particular, streptococcus often releases dangerous toxins into the bloodstream, which affect the functioning of the immune system, causing an intense allergic reaction and autoimmune disorders. For example, often against the background of scarlet fever, antibodies begin to attack their own cells of the heart and kidneys, leading to various kinds of disorders.
Scarlet fever treatment
Antibiotics are used to treat this disease, which really effectively cope with the disease. The first few days the baby is shown rest and strict bed rest. In addition, frequent gargling with a decoction of chamomile or sage is recommended. Quite often, doctors prescribe appropriate doses of vitamin C and antihistamines. In any case, the sick child should be isolated from healthy people during treatment. Hospitalization is indicated only for severe forms of scarlet fever, which are accompanied by complications.