Scarlet fever is a condition triggered by certain strains of the group A streptococcus bacterium. This condition was once devastating in the past, but essentially a strep throat with rash now. The disease is quite common among children below 10 years old but can occur at any age.
What are the indications of scarlet fever?
Scarlet fever typically starts with fever and a sore throat which are the usual symptoms of strep throat. The fever can be quite high reaching up to 103-104 degrees F and accompanied by chills, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and a headache.
If not treated, the fever can persist for 5-7 days but eventually subsides within a day after starting antibiotics. After 12-48 hours after the symptoms emerge, the child will develop a reddened rash. Take note that the rash is not triggered by the bacteria, but the result of a toxin released by certain strains of group A streptococcus bacterium.
Close look on the rash
The red rash of scarlet fever is comprised of small-sized reddened bumps that start on the neck and radiate down the groin and eventually spread to the whole body for 5-6 days. The bumps blanch or turn white if pressed on.
The rash is quite worse on the elbow, neck, elbow creases, groin and the armpits. Once the rash starts to fade, the skin may peel particularly on the face and palms of the hands. The peeling can often last for up to 6 weeks.
The rash of scarlet fever usually overlap in terms of characteristics with other conditions, but the indicative signs include the following:
- Sandpaper-like rash – the rash feels similar to sandpaper when you rub your hand over it and evident on the chest and arms.
- Pastia’s lines – these are dark, hyperpigmented regions on the skin particularly in the skin creases that are similar to a sunburn
- Circumoral pallor – a pale area around the mouth despite the reddened and flushed appearance of the forehead and cheeks
- Strawberry tongue – this is described as a red and swollen tongue. Initially, the tongue has a white coating with red swollen papillae of the tongue that protrudes through the white coating.
Take note that the fever and rash is typically accompanied by a reddened, swollen throat while tonsils that have a white layer of pus, diminished appetite, inflamed glands and low energy level.
Management
This condition necessitates treatment using antibiotics that might include amoxicillin, penicillin, clindamycin, erythromycin or cephalosporin.
The child must stay at home for at least 24 hours after antibiotics have been started in which the scarlet fever is no longer contagious.
It is vital to complete the full course of antibiotics. The strep bacteria can rarely trigger rheumatic fever and even if the symptoms have resolved, it is essential to complete the full course to prevent rheumatic fever.