Scarlet fever

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My 2 year old came down with cold like symptoms yesterday and was generally very unwell. No fever. This morning we noticed a slight rash on his torso and tonight it's on his torso and back. There have been cases of scarlet fever at his nursery but he hadn't been at nursery since Thursday, so 72 hours later was when he first showed signs of the cold.

His tongue is clear. The nhs site shows scarlet fever to look pretty severe, but does anyone have experience of a mild case of scarlet fever and does this look like it? Or any other ideas of what it could be. Not sure if to send him to nursery in the morning or not.

Just realised you can’t really see the rash from the pics

When my daughter had scarlet fever age 3, we thought it was a virus from the range of symptoms and the rash she had, and so did her GP. We only later found out there'd been another case or two notified from her nursery - this was years back and the following couple of years GPs were becoming more aware that scarlet fever was around again.

Given that you know there's been a case at nursery, don't send him in and do get a GP appointment - better safe than sorry and I think they'll have a much lower threshold for antibiotics than without that potential contact. I needed antibiotics for a strep throat when my daughter had it, but not till perhaps 10 days or so into her illness.

Best wishes for speedy improvement whichever cause is thought likely.

My DD didn’t have a rash, she had viral symptoms, but was diagnosed by the GP looking at her ‘strawberry tongue’,

My Son literally turned bright red when he had scarlet fever and he had a fever to accompany it. There is defo a rash there but I would say it's viral rather than SF. Poor mite. However, if in doubt, GP appointment is the way to go. Get well soon little one

My son had it when he was two. The GP said they’d never seen Scarlett fever before so had to get a second opinion. They prescribed him antibiotics. It looked every much like your photos but redder.
The rash was really rough to the touch and he had a really high temp.

When DD had it, her skin was rough like sandpaper.

Fwiw DD1 has it when she was 2 and she's never been so unwell. She's never been dramatic about being ill before or since but couldn't even walk with SF. She was vomiting, temp of 40 and rough red rash that started on her groin and spread to her torso and face very quickly. I think you'll know by morbing if he has it- keep an eye on his temp and offer calpol if he needs it x

Does the rash fee rough? That was DS’s most obvious symptom.

Not great photos, though could be. Does it feel like sandpaper? Scarlet fever rash usually does.

Just to say thanks all for your replies, it's really appreciated. Took him to GP who said it was just a viral infection and it's all cleared up now. Nursery germs are the worst!

Thanks for the update and glad to hear it cleared up easily.

I doubt your GP minded checking your little one over one bit, always better safe than sorry. One of the reasons for notifying more serious infectious disease is to avoid missing a case that could be treated earlier, and achieving that should require checking quite a few without for every case found.

Hope you have a happy and healthy summer ahead.