The Four Year Old Rash

Sunday Bryce broke out in a rash on his face. At first we thought he was just hot because we were outside, so I slathered LOTS of sunscreen on him. The next day his face looked worse, and I was afraid maybe we had not gotten all the sunscreen off of him and he was reacting to it. I put him in another bath and scrubbed him good.

By Monday, he had a rash on his upper chest and shoulders. Now, my kids get FUNKY stuff all the time, so I did not want to take all the kids to the dr and get them sick for something like a fever rash - since there is nothing they can do for it. By Tuesday afternoon, I had decided that since it had moved down his back and stomach he should go in Wednesday - just to make sure it wasn't the beginnings of strep (Caleb gets a rash before he gets strep).

So, Wednesday morning, I took him to the dr. By now the rash was ALL OVER his body. While we were in the waiting room, he asked why he had to see the dr (that just shows how badly this rash was bothering him!!). I told him we had to see what this rash was. He looked down at it and asked what it was (DUH!!! That is why we are here). I told him it was probably just a 4 Year Old Rash - he turned four last week and now he had the rash. The dr walked in and took one look at him and said he had Fifth Disease and then examined him. He did.

For those who have never heard of it, Fifth disease is a virus. You usually don't even know your child has the virus - if they have any symptoms it is like a mild cold. They are contagious when they have the virus. You usually don't know they had it until a couple of weeks later when they break out in a rash. Heat seems to make the rash appear and get worse (that is why it started when we were outside). The rash does not itch and is in no way bothersome. His face looks like he was slapped on both cheeks though! The rash can come and go for several weeks to several months.

Monday evening Paul was complaining that his back hurt. Tuesday morning he woke up complaining that his throat hurt, but we thought it was from the fan blowing on him all night. A couple of hours after he went to work he IMed me and told me he thought he had the flu. When he got home that evening he went to bed. He had a fever, stiff joints, sore muscles and a sore throat and headache.

Wednesday when I called and told him what the dr said he looked it up. He had every symptom for an adult with Fifth Disease. Most adults don't get it, because like the chicken pox, you usually only get it once. I guess Paul had never had it. Usually, the adults don't break out in a rash - I guess we will see in a couple of weeks! Yesterday, he was feeling a lot better, just tired and still kinda had a sore throat.

You gotta love it when your child is infecting others and you don't even know he is sick!!!