Fifth disease or teething cheeks etc?

[TennisMad93]

Hi All - LO has had red cheeks now for over a week. Sometimes it really red and then sometimes it’s less red but hasn’t gone back to normal skin tone yet.

He doesn’t appear to have any rash on his body. Could it be something else such as inflammation from teething perhaps? (Although I’m not 100% he is but LO is nearly 8 months with no teeth)

Any body rash? Was he unwell before the rash appeared with a temp or running nose? Fifth disease is going round at the moment. It is contagious after the rash appears. Teething can go on for weeks with a tooth appearing so I doubt you will find out which one it is.

If he’s at nursery or has a sibling/ other close contact who is, it’s possibly fifth. If not then most likely teething.

We all caught it last April. Baby was 9 months, older brother was 3. The redness was on their arms and legs too. Less usual but I was really badly affected. Lost use of my arms for over a month, couldn’t walk for a week or so and it was 8 weeks before I fully recovered. Absolutely shocking.

Kids were just a bit red and carried on as normal.

little one has just teethed molars and was red cheeked for about 6 weeks. It’s a very different rash though to slapped cheek/fifths, which can almost look like hives.

Not that we can see however LO had a chest infection before hand I guess. I’ve added some images but they sometimes look flushed.

However I can’t see any redness in his gums.

No he’s not at nursery but was thinking more inflammation from teething (as he’s not got any yet) or potentially fifth, like you said.

I’ve put photos on the previous reply but I don’t think it’s eczema. Looks more flushed and can go redder and less red throughout the day.

It’s hard to say. If that was my LO I would be leaning towards teething if they’ve not had contact with other kids (thank Christ that Fifth’s is a one and done so less likely to have picked it up from adults). DS had eczema too and that was more patchy, and scaly. Keep an eye on it though and if it goes in for much longer without a tooth popping out, or loads of chewing and drooling get it checked out. Runny nose etc came with teething for us too, but the fifth’s disease gave really really bright red cheeks, angry red and burning hot.

I wouldn’t bet on it but from the photos I would say fifth.

Thank you. Redness goes up and down in the day and mainly redder at night for some reason. But no other symptoms other than his cheeks.

Will do! His cheeks are pretty smooth with a tiny bit of dryness which makes me think it isn’t eczema. There’s also not any dryness anywhere else on his body.

Would it be worth seeing a GP for reassurance next week if there’s no teeth as it would’ve been two weeks?