Scarlet Fever - Jacksonville,FL

J.,

I am so sorry to hear about your son's diagnosis. I don't know a lot about scarlet fever, but as a Mom, my heart goes out to you.

I have a friend who's neice had scarlet fever and ended up with an extended rash (psoriasis) for an extended period of time. She was so uncomfortable and itched so badly. Their Dr. gave her steroids but it didn't help. Then he wanted to up the dosage, but it could have caused permanent damage to her. She was just under 2 at the time.

My husband and I had a life changing experience with a good tasting fruit juice called MonaVie, and we shared it with their family, too. They gave it to their little girl and in less than 24 hrs the rash was almost complelety gone and she had complete relief from the itching. They e-mailed us the pix - it was quite a testimony.

The juice is not a magic cure, it's just a juice, but it has living enzymes, phytonutrients and natural anti-inflammitory agents, etc., etc.,. It's pretty amazing.

I already loved the product, but when I saw what it did for this little girl, I loved it even more.

At any rate, if you would like to try it, I would be happy to get you a bottle. Just e-mail me at ____@____.com.

Wishing you all the best!
B.

My only addition is to make sure the infection clears. I am pregnant with my first child, but have a degree in infectious diseases. There can be long-term complications for scarlet fever that isn't cured completely. The average time until children feel better is just an average; some will heal faster and some will heal slower. Keep in touch closely with the doctor, and make sure the infection is completely gone by the end of the treatment. Untreated scarlet fever can lead to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease (both autoimmune conditions, meaning the immune system attacks the body) that emerge in later childhood.

This is very rare now that we have antibiotics. Because your son is already on antibiotics, it would be extremely unlikely for him to have any of these problems. Just please be aware of the risk and keep in touch with the doctor. They will know what to do.

i don't know much about that disease but even so the best advice i can give is pray to god for his healing. tell god that you know he can heal your son in the name of Jesus Christ and he will. even if you are skeptical at first if you do this god will answer your prayer.

The rash is the most striking sign of scarlet fever. It usually begins looking like a bad sunburn with tiny bumps and it may itch. The rash usually appears first on the neck and face, often leaving a clear unaffected area around the mouth. It spreads to the chest and back, then to the rest of the body. In body creases, especially around the underarms and elbows, the rash forms classic red streaks. Areas of rash usually turn white when you press on them. By the sixth day of the infection the rash usually fades, but the affected skin may begin to peel.

Aside from the rash, there are usually other symptoms that help to confirm a diagnosis of scarlet fever, including a reddened sore throat, a fever above 101° Fahrenheit (38.3° Celsius), and swollen glands in the neck. The tonsils and back of the throat may be covered with a whitish coating, or appear red, swollen, and dotted with whitish or yellowish specks of pus. Early in the infection, the tongue may have a whitish or yellowish coating. A child with scarlet fever also may have chills, body aches, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.

When scarlet fever occurs because of a throat infection, the fever typically stops within 3 to 5 days, and the sore throat passes soon afterward. The scarlet fever rash usually fades on the sixth day after sore throat symptoms began, but skin that was covered by rash may begin to peel. This peeling may last 10 days. With antibiotic treatment, the infection itself is usually cured with a 10-day course of antibiotics, but it may take a few weeks for tonsils and swollen glands to return to normal.

Caring for a Child With Scarlet Fever
A child with severe strep throat may find that eating is painful, so providing soft foods or a liquid diet may be necessary. Include soothing teas and warm nutritious soups, or cool soft drinks, milkshakes, and ice cream. Make sure that the child drinks plenty of fluids.

Use a cool-mist humidifier to add moisture to the air, since this will help soothe the sore throat. A moist warm towel may help to soothe swollen glands around your child's neck.

If the rash itches, make sure that your child's fingernails are trimmed short so skin isn't damaged through scratching.

It was my experiance that the rash went as quickly as it came, but it took 5-6 days. Afterward my daughter had the classic problem of her hands and feet peeling. It will pass. If your son starts peeling, it may look gross, but don't try to scrub skin off, or pull it off before it just falls off. That too will only take a few days. The entire course took about two weeks from the day she woke up with the rash and started antibiotics, until she was symptom free and able to run around with her friends again.

Hi J.,

I'm so sorry to hear your little one is so sick. I agree with most all the ladies here. Scarlet Fever can last longer and it can have long term complications. One thing that is always imperative with a little one is to keep his immune system strong. Antibiotics break down an immune system and can cause other issues and the body has a hard time recouping. Your job is to make sure that the antibiotics do their job without keeping his immune system weak.

A good absorbable multivitamin is great. I know of a great one if you are interested. Any type of antioxidant is great. Organic juices are great antioxidants (grape, pomegranite, etc). I say organic because most of our processing strips nutrients. Get rid of any synthetic chemicals in your house. They attack the immune system directly.

If you are interested, I'll be glad to talk with you about specifics. My Verizon cell is ###-###-####. Feel free to call anytime!

Regards,

M.

My little girl had scarlet fever at age 2, so I can understand your concern. The rash will last longer than all the other symptoms. Hers lasted almost 2 weeks before it began to go away. And once it started to disappear, her skin started to peel. This is normal and may last for another week or so. The soles of her feet peeled for more than a week I know, and in the creases of her legs and her bottom were the worst. Luckily, she did not itch very much, but the pediatrician gave her an oral anti-itch medication just in case. The only thing to do is be patient and wait it out.