In this Article

• What is roseola?
• What virus causes roseola?
• How is roseola spread?
• What are the first signs and symptoms of roseola?
• How high can the fever go?
• How should the fever be treated?
• Can the fever cause a seizure?
• Is a seizure due to fever dangerous?
• What should I do if my child with roseola has a seizure?
• Is there a rash with roseola?
• What is most remarkable characteristic of roseola?
• What is the course of the disease?
• Are there any complications of roseola?
• Should I take my child to the doctor with roseola?
• When can the child return to child care?
• Are there other names for roseola?
• Roseola At A Glance
• Patient Discussions: Roseola - Describe Your Experience
• Roseola Glossary
• Roseola Index

What is most remarkable characteristic of roseola?

What is most striking is that the child seems so well despite having a high fever.

What is the course of the disease?

The fever of roseola lasts three to five days followed by a rash lasting about one to two days. Roseola usually resolves without any treatment.

Are there any complications of roseola?

Complications are rare with roseola except in children with suppressed immune systems. Individuals with healthy immune systems generally develop lifelong immunity to HHV-6 (or HHV-7).

Should I take my child to the doctor with roseola?

Yes, that is a good idea. A child with a fever and a rash should not go back to child care until evaluated by a health-care provider.

When can the child return to child care?

A child with just the rash of roseola and no fever can usually return to child care.

Are there other names for roseola?

Roseola is referred to by a number of other names. It was formally called roseola infantum or roseola infantilis. Because the rash appears so suddenly (right after the fever dramatically departs), the disease is commonly called exanthem subitum.

To distinguish roseola from other childhood diseases featuring skin rashes, it was once dubbed "sixth disease" (because it was the sixth disease young children typically developed and it lasted about six days), but that name has largely been forgotten.

Roseola At A Glance

• Roseola is a mild illness caused by a virus infection, and it affects young children.
• A sudden high fever that lasts for three to five days is an early feature of roseola.
• When the fever disappears, a rash appears.
• Roseola usually goes away without any treatment.

Roseola - Describe Your Experience

The MedicineNet physician editors ask:

Please describe your experience with roseola.

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