What is roseola? A literal translation from the “medical” language of the word means a clearly defined, very bright red rash that resembles a bean in shape. It is also called a disease that is caused by herpes of type 6 or 7. Most often, this infectious disease affects babies up to two years old.
Sometimes roseola and people of other age categories. If an adult suddenly has constant fatigue, a
decrease in appetite and immunity, irritability, and a red rash suddenly covers his skin, then he may start to have a roseola. Its symptoms in children and adults are different. If adults most often complain of skin manifestations and decreased tone, then in children the disease is more severe. Usually roseola in children begins with a sudden rise in temperature. In two to three hours it can rise to 40 °. Naturally, all the ailments caused by fever appear:
fatigue, lethargy, headaches, sometimes digestive upset.
The kid becomes moody, refuses to eat, sleeps poorly. After several hours, the temperature drops, but the body is covered with a characteristic pink rash. A slight cough or swelling of the nasal mucosa may appear, but there is no discharge. Roseola, the symptoms of which a baby can manifest for a whole week, goes away by itself. The complexity of the disease is that it is often confused with allergies, rubella and some other more common diseases. Sometimes the doctor until the end of treatment can not understand what a patient has roseola: symptoms, especially in adults, can occur exclusively in chronic fatigue. The disease has many other names: exanthema subitum or sudden, pseudo-rubella, sixth disease,
baby roseola or a three-day fever. The last name practically describes the course of the disease: most often roseola in children disappears after 2-3 days.
How to treat roseola?
If the child has a high fever, then this is an occasion to call a doctor. Roseola in adults is often asymptomatic, but usually a person affected by the herpes virus feels a strong, lasting fatigue. This is also an occasion to visit a doctor. Treatment with this diagnosis does not require special or specific drugs. The first, and often the only help is taking antipyretic drugs for children and drugs that increase immunity. However, in no case should you prescribe medications yourself, especially for children. Self-medication is always dangerous, and if roseola begins, some substances can only aggravate the disease. Aspirin is strictly prohibited: it can cause a number of serious side effects. Sometimes antipyretic almost does not work. This is unpleasant, but not scary: it happens if a diagnosis of roseola is made. Her symptoms in children and adults will pass in a few days. Sometimes children are prescribed antipruritic drugs, and in case of a runny nose, drugs that treat swelling of the nasal mucosa. At this time, you need to take a lot of fluids. Everything is suitable: mineral water, natural juices and homemade compotes, herbal teas. Roseola is an infectious disease, so it is recommended to limit the contacts of the patient, especially children.