Scarlet fever is an infectious disease that is more common in children, but it can also affect adults. The disease is transmitted through contact with an infected person or through contact with objects contaminated with the bacteria.
In the article:
Ilinca Tranulis, pediatrician, spoke on a TV show about the symptoms and signs of scarlet fever in children.
Here’s how you can tell if your little one is suffering from this condition and what to do!
Symptoms and signs of scarlet fever in children
According to the specialist, the season for this condition is winter and early spring, and after the Covid-19 period there are more cases than ever. This scarlet fever is caused by a bacterium, namely group A betahemolytic streptococcus, which is a microbe and must be treated with antibiotics.
“The season is winter and the beginning of spring, and this year, as we are used to, after the covid period there are many more cases than usual. Scarlet fever is caused by a bacterium, group A betahemolytic streptococcus, it is a microbe that must be treated with antibiotics, but first we must realize that it is scarlet fever. Children who contact streptococcus from the air, as happens very often, can have different manifestations, from none at all, there are children who have streptococcus in the nose, in the throat and have no manifestations, and we should usually leave them alone or I can have
red in the throat, sore throat, the ganglia become inflamed or the tonsils may swell and they may present a whitish deposit, the child has a fever and is not feeling well. Those who are asymptomatic can share the virus, but to a much lesser extent, if it’s a sporadic case of an otherwise healthy child, it doesn’t need to be treated, but in a class where one child has tonsillitis, one child has scarlet fever, all with this streptococcus, we will check all the children much more carefully, we will triage everyone when they come to the kindergarten and at the slightest sign or symptom of illness they must be tested and possibly treated, and if they are more
many cases in a community it is advisable to test all the children and then we will also treat the healthy carriers, precisely to eradicate the presence of streptococcus in this community”, said the specialist.
Read also: Insulin resistance and abdominal fat. Strategies for healthy and sustainable weight loss
In addition to the red throat, scarlet fever is also a red rash on the skin, and the skin becomes rough with small red bumps. Symptomatic treatment for fever and any other symptoms the child has is antibiotics.
“Scarla is, in addition to the red throat, ganglia, and a reddish rash on the skin, the skin is rough with little red bumps. Symptomatic treatment for fever, for any other symptom the child has and a mandatory antibiotic, common to penicillin still works for this streptococcus and is the first choice in the treatment of all variants of streptococcus diseases. It is mandatory to consult a doctor and the doctor decides the antibiotic treatment, usually for 10 days. All these cases must be reported, all children must be checked through throat tests, but also clinically, if they have signs of illness, the parents must be notified, but they must also notify the kindergarten if they have a sick child at home, and the classrooms must be sanitized , where there are many cases, but the basic rules remain valid, washing hands, airing the classrooms as often as possible”, added the specialist.
Symptoms and signs of scarlet fever in children
[Sursa foto: freepik]
How to manifest scarlet fever in children
If this scarlet fever is not properly treated, it can give the body some antibodies that will attack the body’s own organs and can give rheumatism, a carditis, damage to the heart or even damage to the kidneys.
“Scarlatina that is not properly treated can give the body some antibodies that will attack the body’s own organs, it can give joint rheumatism, a carditis, damage to the heart valves, it can cause damage to the kidneys. A strep throat, so just a red sore in the throat can go away on its own, let’s not get caught, but when we have many cases we have to check with tests, there are some quick tests or some exudates that take three or four days to give the results . Children with these positive tests must be treated,” said the doctor.
Symptoms and signs of scarlet fever in children
[Sursa foto: freepik]
Complications of scarlet fever in children
The complications scarlet fever are rare, but can occur if the infection is not treated and the toxin produced by the bacteria spreads to other organs of the body. Possible complications of scarlet fever include:
Abscesses around the tonsils;
Ear, sinus or skin infections;
Pneumonia;
Rheumatic fever;
Arthritis;
Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis
Symptoms and signs of scarlet fever in children
Both adults and children show the same symptoms of scarlet fever. One of the most recognizable symptoms is the specific red rash, similar to a sunburn, rough to the touch and usually appearing first on the face or neck, followed by spreading to the trunk, arms and legs. If pressure is applied to reddened skin, it will turn pale.
The rash is more pronounced in the groin, underarm, knee, elbow and neck area. The face appears flushed, with a paler area around the mouth (slapped cheeks appearance). These symptoms usually last for a week, after which the rash is replaced by peeling skin.
Other symptoms of scarlet fever in children and adults include:
Raspberry tongue (occurs as a result of flaking of the superficial layers of the lingual mucosa);
Read also: The Healing Spring 2023. What do you have to do on this day to be lucky all year? – stirilekanald.ro
High fever, often accompanied by chills;
Red and sore throat;
Difficulty swallowing;
Enlarged lymph nodes, sensitive to touch;
Nausea;
Vomiting;
Headache, abdominal or muscle pain.
Read also: Boiled eggs: soft, gooey or hard. How to prepare them correctly to achieve the desired consistency