slap cheek

[Auntiemabel]

Does anyone know about this weirdly named condition.It looks like someone has slapped my daughter on the cheek, big red mark down one side. She is 2. I have heard of it but need reminding. I think you need to keep away from others, any ideas please...

Hi auntie - slapped face is also called fifth disease. It starts with the facial rash, then after a couple of days it spreads to the shoulders, arms and thighs, sometimes buttocks. Other symptoms are feeling unwell, an itch, fever and mild diarrhea. It can last a month or more, sorry to say and may come and go, esp after a warm bath or exercise. Isolation isn't necessary, except from pregnant women during the first two trimesters... It is most contagious before the rash appears (typical), and incubation is a week to 2 weeks. There's no treatment apart from paracetamol for the fever, and antihistamine if itchiness is a problem. I hope this isn't what your dd has , but maybe if you search on fifth disease you might find out more. HTH.

Can't add much to Mollipops' excellent advice but my DS also had slapped cheek just before Christmas, apart from the obvious rash he had absolutely no side effects and was perfectly well It cleared up in about five days. There is quite a lot of info on the internet about it.

My dd has also had this, a couple of times when little. She obviously had it mildly, because she had similar symptoms as Lindy describes.

Oops, didn't even know it was contagious.

Slapped cheek or Fifth disease is a viral infection, caused human parvovirus. ds had this at 8 months and was quite unwell for about 10 days - high fever, lethargy, runny nose and reddened cheeks. Apparently it is most common in preschoolers but ds had been going to a creche once a week. Most get over it quickly with few ill effects.

hope your dd feels better soon.

LizS