It's good to learn more about Roseola, i.e. a common virus infection among young kids, 6 to 24 months of age, with the average age around 9 months. It has a sudden onset and relatively short duration.
About Roseola
Here are a few important facts about Roseola that you should know:
- A sudden high fever that lasts for 3 to 5 days. Fever averages 39.7°C, but it can go up as high as 41.2°C.
- Mild nasal congestion and loose stools may accompany the fever.
- Within 12 to 24 hours of the fever breaking, a rash rapidly appears, which may last 1 to 2 days. This rash is not contagious. [Source]
What to do to keep baby comfortable?
Most importantly, don't do self diagnosis. Any high fever, bring your child to his pediatrician immediately. Luke's fever started all of a sudden last Tuesday midnight. His temperature was about 38.6°C, considerably high. We gave him some baby liquid Paracetamol. I also put a fever patch on his forehead and wiped him down on and off throughout the night.
Next morning (Wednesday), I brought him to his pediatrician. His rectal temperature was 39.3°C! Dr. Wong inserted a suppository to bring down the fever quickly and prescribed Ibuprofen as backup in case Luke's fever shot past 40°C.
As discussed with Dr. Wong, it was most probably Roseola but to be on the safe side, she requested to do urine test to rule out urinary tract infection (UTI), a bacterial infection. Urine test came out clean. Phew! Blood test wasn't required unless his fever was still uncontrollably high after the third day.
I took leave until Friday to take care of him at home. He lost his appetite towards his usual meals. He just wanted breast milk and nothing else. He also had loose stools, twice. The poor baby hated his 4-hourly Paracetamol feeds, yelling his head off. I had sleepless nights because he refused to lie down on the bed and demanded to be cradled in my arms.
To cool him down even more, I wiped him down twice a day with apple cider vinegar diluted in water straight from the tap. Fever patch was on his forehead day and night.
Then, all of a sudden, his fever was completely gone on Saturday morning.
On Sunday evening, I saw some rashes on his head and face. On Monday, the rash / red dots that confirmed Roseola was all over his body. See photos below.
Today, on Wednesday, the rash is completely gone.
Today, on Wednesday, the rash is completely gone.
So, the worst is over! Yay!!!
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Thanks for the info. Great sharing.
ReplyDeleteGlad your baby is recovering.
Welcome! Luke is now his usual cheeky self. :)
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