Anyone have experience with Fifth's Disease??

[6_Time_Momma]

Got anote from the preschool that Selena has been exposed to this. Is it like a chicken pox kind of thing?

 

[grinningghost]

Yes! DD had it when she was about 9. Whole body (worse on the trunk, legs and arms) covered in a flat red rash. They almost looked like pink lace.

Didn't really bother DD much, but it sure looked bad. It was the first time I'd ever heard of Fifth's Disease, and I don't even know where she got it. She was the first of a couple in her class to get it.

 

[snoopy]

Don't know much about it other than if you are pregnant, you definately don't want to be around someone who has it.

 

[Blondie]

Fifth's disease will also make the cheeks look really red, like they've been slapped. It's not much to worry about, which is a good thing, unless as Snoopy mentioned, the child is around a pregnant woman.

 

[Karel]

It's no big deal. It ran rapid in our school last fall and the nurse didn't even send anyone home. (And she's big on sending kids home.)

The rash is startling. My daughter only had it on her legs but some had bright red faces. There may be a low grade fever or an upset stomach.

 

[two4ruff]

Its actually quite common. My son contracted it when he was ten and became anemic from it. Nothing lots of rest and iron couldn't fix.

But you do want to keep infected kids away from pregnant mommies!!

 

[WilmaBud]

It's got about a 2 week incubation period. Once you break out in the rash, you're no longer contagious. My 10 year old son had it first, and it didn't slow him down at all. My 7 year old daughter got it exactly 2 weeks later, and she had a week or so of joint pain (which is common). Neither of my kids ran a fever, but many kids do. It's really no big deal, but it can, in rare instances, cause problems for the fetuses of pregnant women (most adults are already immune to it, though).

 

[KLAIT]

I have a friend who is a teacher--middle 30's. It was going around the school she was in and she picked it up. Kids look really bad, but it is not as bad as it looks....it is also called "slap cheek" because it looks like someone slapped you across the face...

Adults, on the other hand can be very sick with it. It took her a couple of months to get over it. Achy joints and extremely tired. All she could say was she was happy her kids were getting it when they were young.....

 

[snuggles]

I had Fifths as an adult. Basically I looked like I'd been slapped in the face and my arms and chest were red. It's very bad for pregnant ladies to be exposed to it. A couple of teachers at our school had to have blood tests because they were exposed.

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

Let me tell you, Fifths Disease in adults is no joke!!

I had strange symptoms. DD came down with a lacy rash all over and I immediatly took her to the doctor. DS came down shortly after that. Neither kid seemed too bothered by the illness. Slight fever and a rash.

Myself and DH on the other hand!!! We could not sleep because the glands in the back of our heads were so sore we could not even lay our heads on the pillow. (I did not even know you had glands back there!) We had a low grade fever and all over body ache. It lasted about 3-4 weeks!!!!!! Which, is not unusual in adults. By the time the kids get the rash, the illness is pretty much done with. DH and I never got a rash.

Heres hoping no one gets this! Especially the adults!

 

[Boo'sMom]

we just went round and round with this in my house.
The one thing that our Dr. didn't tell us....and I found out the "hard way" was that activity aggrevates the rash.
After DS had been running around for baseball practice, he looked awful!!!!

Takes a while to all go away...DD is at the very end of it, and it's been several weeks.

 

[Skywalker]

Yes, my son just got over it about two weeks ago. It was going around in his class. His face was very red, and had a red bumpy rash on his arms and legs. It kind of looked like small chicken pox but was not itchy or anything. In fact, it did not affect him in the least! I know an adult who had it and her joints were sore for weeks!

 

[Lanshark]

DD had it when she was young. I took her to the Dr and he said "This too will pass". Nothing about it bothered her.