Disease 6 is a childhood illness with a rash caused by herpes group viruses. This disease, which worries parents because of the high fever symptom, can often be confused with some other diseases. The first rule to prevent Roseola Infantum, which is contagious, is to avoid contact.

What is the Sixth Disease?

The sixth disease is a common viral infection that mostly affects children aged between 6 months and 3 years. It often causes an extremely high fever that lasts for 3-5 days, followed by a red rash. Rarely, it can also occur in older children and adults. This disease is also called Roseola Infantum or infectiosum subitum. Infection can occur at any time of the year, but is particularly common in spring and fall. It usually presents with mild symptoms. Treatment is administered to reduce symptoms and the disease is usually completely cured within a week.

What Causes the Sixth Disease?

The sixth disease is caused by viruses belonging to the herpes family, which includes the viruses that cause cold sores. Commonly, human herpes virus 6 or human herpes virus 7 is the causative agent.

What are the Symptoms of the Sixth Disease?

In a person who comes into contact with a patient infected with Roseola, it usually takes one or two weeks for symptoms to appear after the virus has entered the body. This process is known as the incubation period (the period of reproduction of the virus in the human body after it enters the body). In some cases, symptoms other than fever are so subtle that they cannot be recognized. Some of the symptoms of the sixth disease can be listed as follows:

• The patient appears very healthy except for fever.
• The sudden onset of fever can last for 3-5 days, often reaching as high as 38-41 degrees Celsius.
• There may be tremors in the hands and feet, as well as bruising.
• Sore throat, head and ear pain may be felt.
• You may have a runny nose.
• Cough may be observed.
• Swollen lymph nodes are observed in the neck.
• Skin rashes may occur.

When the fever subsides, red rashes usually appear on the body. The rashes are small pink spots or patches. The surface of the rash is mostly smooth. But some lesions can also be rough. Some of the spots may also have a white halo around them. In patients, the rash usually starts on the chest, back and abdomen and spreads to the neck and arms. Since these rashes do not cause itching, they do not cause any discomfort. These spots on the skin can be confused with childhood diseases such as measles and rubella. In addition to these;

• Restlessness in infants and young children
• Mild diarrhea
• Nausea-Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling of the eyelids
• Absent-mindedness, loss of consciousness or delirium

With the above symptoms, it is appropriate for the patient to remain under the care of a pediatric specialist until a sixth disease is diagnosed. A convulsive seizure due to high fever should be taken to an emergency room immediately. In the following cases, people should consult a pediatrician to avoid any complications:

• The onset of a rash before the child’s fever subsides
• The child has a fever higher than 41 degrees on axillary measurement
• Excessive dehydration and poor general condition
• If the fever lasts longer than seven days
• Re-fever of a child whose fever has gone down
• Rashes persist after three days
• The onset of a rash before the child’s fever subsides
• Absent-mindedness, hallucinations and delirium
• Severe headache
• stiff neck, unable to move it much
• Recurrent vomiting
• Breathing difficulties
• Chest pain and
• If conditions such as severe cough are observed
• Having a febrile seizure called febrile convulsion as a result of a sudden rise in fever

Is the Sixth Disease Contagious?

Similar to other viral diseases, Roseola Infantum is transmitted from person to person. It is spread between people through contact with droplets of respiratory secretions, coughs and sneezes of a sick person. For example, a healthy child who shares a common item with a child infected with roseola can become infected. Roseola is contagious even before the rash appears. Even when an infected child only has a fever, the infection spreads to others.

What are the Risk Factors for the Sixth Disease?

Most children come into contact with roseola at a young age. Babies between the ages of 6 and 15 months can become severe when exposed to the disease because their immune systems are unable to produce enough antibodies to fight the virus. Babies under 6 months of age are not in the risk group, as they are protected by antibodies passed to them from their mother during pregnancy.

How is the Sixth Disease Diagnosed?

The high fever that occurs in the disease, as well as the rash that develops, allows the diagnosis to be made without the need for any tests. Test results may show a decrease in the average white blood cell and platelet count, while liver enzymes may be elevated. Usually on the third day of the disease, the number of leukocytes in the blood decreases. This causes enlargement of the lymph nodes in the neck and behind the ears. The spleen may also be slightly enlarged.

Can the symptoms of the disease be confused with other diseases?

6. the disease can be confused with many other diseases because of the high fever. Nagayama spots, raised rashes on the soft palate and small tongue, can be diagnosed in 65% of cases when fever is present. The rash occurs 24 hours after the fever subsides. Then the temperature rises again. In light of these findings, the sixth disease can be differentiated from other diseases.

How to Treat the Sixth Disease?

The sixth disease is diagnosed and treated by pediatricians. The treatment is aimed at preventing the symptoms from progressing. There is no specific treatment for the disease. The primary goal is to reduce the patient’s fever. Since it is a viral infection, antibiotic treatment is not applied. The high incidence of the disease can frighten families. This can lead to unnecessary use of high doses of antibiotics. Aspirin use in particular can cause death in a child. It is therefore important to be careful to avoid them. Here are some things that can be done at home to treat the disease:

• Bed rest
• Plenty of fluid intake
• Wet towel hung on a steamer or honeycomb to humidify the air
• Applications to reduce fever

Children with fever should be kept comfortable and not overdressed. Showering the child with warm water can help lower the fever by 1-1.5 degrees. If the child shivers during bathing, the temperature of the bath water should be raised slightly. Rubbing the wrists and ankles with a damp towel can also be effective. Alcohol should never be used to reduce fever. Inhaling alcohol can cause other problems. fever-reducing medicines can also help. The rashes do not cause any problems, so there is no need for treatment. It is short and goes away on its own.

What are the Sixth Disease Prevention Ways?

There is no vaccine to prevent roseola yet. Therefore, it is important to prevent the disease with some precautions.

• Avoiding contact with infected people is the first rule of prevention.
• It is recommended that the sick child rests at home to avoid contact with other people until the fever subsides.
• People caring for children with Roseola should pay attention to hygiene rules and wash their hands frequently because they are in contact with the virus.
• If it is a sick baby, the objects it puts in its mouth should be thoroughly cleaned.
• To avoid exposure to infected saliva, it is important not to share utensils such as cups, plates or spoons with other people.
• It may be a good idea to regularly clean surfaces in their living environment with antimicrobial sprays.
• It is important to teach children habits such as using tissues when sneezing and coughing.

What are the Differences between the Sixth Disease and Measles?

Some people 6. confuses the disease with measles, which has a similar skin rash. However, these two rashes are markedly different. These differences can be listed as follows:

• The measles rash is red or reddish brown. It often starts on the face, moves downwards and spreads throughout the body. 6. The disease rash is pink in color and starts on the abdomen and then spreads to the arms.
• In 6th disease, children feel fine when the rash appears. However, children who have had measles may feel sick when they have a rash.