Roseola is a mild viral illness that comes on suddenly with high fever followed by a rash. The average age of a child with Roseola is 9 months. The fever that comes with Roseola can be considerably high, averaging 39.7 degrees Celsius.
 
Roseola is caused by a virus called human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) and less commonly by human herpesvirus 7 (HHV-7) in children 6 to 24 months of age. The virus is spread through transfer of saliva, but is not extremely contagious. Incubation for Roseola is about ten days.
 
Typical symptoms begin with the fever that will last from three to five days. In toddlers, the fontanel, or soft spot on the head will sometimes bulge and the glands in the neck will be swollen. Additionally, a runny nose and puffy eyelids accompany the fever. Once the fever dissipates, a rash forms usually on the neck, trunk and back. The rash will look like raised dots or flat spots that are red but will turn white when you apply pressure. The rash will generally last two to four days.
 
Since Roseola is a virus, there are no medications that will eliminate it. Antibiotics will only work on a bacterial infection. Treatment of Roseola is focused on keeping your child comfortable and watching the fever. If the fever gets too high, a child can have a febrile seizure (seizure caused by high fever). These seizures are usually not dangerous, but if your child were to have one, you should take them to the doctor to be safe.

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