Couple; a child has had a high fever for several days, complains of sore throat and headache, vomits a lot, has small deep red spots (mainly in the groin and later spreading over the entire body) and a completely coated tongue. There is a very good chance that the child has Scarlet Fever. Learn more about this annoying disease in this article.
Scarlet fever
Scarlet fever is an infectious disease caused by bacteria from the nasopharynx or the skin. The disease lasts 10 to 14 days, after which a child is NOT immune to the disease.
Incubation period
The incubation period is the time between the actual infection and the appearance of the first symptoms. During this time, an infectious disease can already be contagious. The incubation period for Scarlet Fever is 2 to 7 days.
Symptoms and complications
Common symptoms of Scarlet Fever are;
- High fever,
- A sore throat,
- Headache,
- Vomit,
- After 24 hours, small deep red spots appear on the body, starting in the groin,
- The tongue is first completely coated and later red dots appear on it,
- After a few days, the rash fades and the skin begins to peel. Especially on the hands and feet.
Common complications with Scarlet Fever;
- Kidney disease,
- Joint disorders (accute rheumatism).
Contamination and consequences
The disease is contagious until the molting is over. The bacteria that causes Scarlet Fever live in the nose and throat and can be transmitted to other children through coughing. The disease can also be transmitted through the hands and clothing of contact persons. When treated with penicillin, the contagiousness ends after 48 hours.
Exclusion from daycare, playgroup or school
With some infectious diseases, a child is not welcome at a daycare center, playgroup or school for a while because of the high risk of infection. The GGD (Municipal Health Care) has drawn up rules for this. Excluding a child with Scarlet Fever is not necessary, unless the GGD says so.
Report to the GGD
For some infectious diseases, a treating physician is obliged to report to the GGD that a child has this infectious disease. A case of Scarlet Fever must be reported if there are 2 or more cases in the same group within 2 weeks. my view on