Scarlet fever in a four-year-old: drooling, vomiting and high temperature

[Anne19191]

My daughter who is 4 has just been diagnosed with scarlet fever she complained of a sore throat for a couple of days and then today got the sandpaper rash and really high temp. She has been given penicillin 4x a day for 10 days.

i just wanted to ask if anyone else’s child has had this and if they experienced any dribbling/drooling this is happening a lot when she’s sleeping and she is very sleepy she is also vomiting when the saliva catches in her throat. The fever is crazy we are using ibuprofen and paracetamol and it still seems
to be high!

We are managing to get fluids in her but she hasn’t ate a thing all day. Also complaining it hurts when she’s drinking I feel very sorry for her any idea how long the antibiotics take to kick in.

Scarlet fever is caused by strep, and that also causes strep throat. It's not unheard of, therefore, to have both simultaneously. But the penicillin treats both. If drinking is a real problem, difflam spray is great for soothing sore throats.

If temp doesn’t drop then she needs to be seen. Bless her 😩 xx

Without waiting to scare you this is exactly how my dd presented and she ended up in intensive care ventilated. I’d take her in to A&E or call 999.

The drooling is a massive red flag.

I hope she feels better soon.

Re the excess saliva/mucous I get like this with throat infections. The only way to sleep without choking/gagging is to sleep half sitting up. Can you try propping her up with pillows? Also give her a bowl to spit into as the mucous itself might make her vomit if she swallows loads.

How high is her temperature and what does it come down to an hour after Calpol? If she is still very hot after meds I’d have her checked over again.

Be fastidious re finishing the ten days of antibiotics to ensure you see it off completely

Todd she have any other symptoms? Kawasaki’s disease overlaps with SF and is sometimes missed by Doctors.

does she have red eyes? Swollen lips?

if temp doesn’t respond to calpol / nurofen I would take her back.

DS had a fever and vomited with scarlet fever. He didn’t drool but had no obvious sore throat as such. It’s probably painful to swallow so she is drooling instead. A bit like when the dentist uses the air suction pipe.
I was surprised how unwell he was but he did get better quickly
on the antibiotics. Hopefully she
will too

My DD at around 5 had scarlet fever and was constantly spitting her saliva into tissues as she couldn't bare to swallow. It may be it's just too sore to swallow as much as usual?

Thank you all for your responses, we had a very unsettled night but I did manage to get the temp down but it does keep coming back.

I think a trip to the children’s hospital could be on the cards today.

shes still not eating anything and complaining her throat hurts. I can’t even get her to have an ice lolly unheard of!

@GoodStuffAnnie no other symptoms she does have red lips and a sore nose but I think that is because she’s been breathing out her mouth while trying to sleep.