grrrr...my daughter has a case of fifths disease.

once the rash appears, it's not contagious...but she's got a lovely rash covering her entire body.

how the heck do i get her school to take her tomorrow, and NOT have to take her into the doctor's office?

any ideas?

put a burlap bag over her head and get her to tell everybody she came as the elephant man.

benidril is good for rashes have you tried that?//////

they wont allow her in untill she see the doc

yeah...not sure she'd keep that sucker on her head, being as she's only four, lol.

i DID pick her outfit out for tomorrow...long sleeves that are a bit TOO long and cover her hands, heh.

maybe i can tell them her face is just...uh...chapped!

gave her claritin this morning, no effect.

while the rash is an immune system response to the virus...there's no known treatment for it, including benadryl.

they are ONLY contagious before the rash hits...after that, they have about five days or so of serious rash...but it CAN go for three weeks.

rash and mild fever are the main symptoms in children, if they aren't anemic and such.

i freaking HAVE to work...i can't miss. and my van is in the shop, so i can't pick her up if they won't take her.

grrr. surely the nurses will recognize that it's just fifths disease and not something worse?

they'll just send her home they call a parent for any little thing

That's a bummer! My grandmother just found out she has Furniture disease.

Does the rash look like the pictures on here? http://children.webmd.com/tc/fifth-disease-topic-overview I looked it up and it says by the time the rash appears they are no longer contagious. I would send her and if they call just tell them what she has.
If your school is anything like our school..she will be sent home!!!

true that.

she DOES attend a special-needs school, though...so they are a little more informed about things.

fifths is soooo common, i'm hoping *fingers crossed* that maybe other kids have it, so they are prepared.

i'm kind of caught, if i send her, i can't pick her up...if i stay home, i get into trouble at work. grrr.

oh, yeah...it's definitely fifths.

her cheeks got it first...and now it's freaking everywhere.

i wouldn't be wanting to send her if i had even a doubt. i'm just worried they'll pull their "doctor's note" crap and make me take her "just to be certain".

Is there any way to call them ahead of time and explain what she does have? I am sure they will be aware that she is not contagious...they can actually look it up and find that out.

If she is in a special needs class, they might even be more strict? I know our classes here are very funny. If they think your child might spread something to the other children..they won't take your child.
Good luck

Have you taken your child to see his/her doctor?
I would recommend taking her/him in and getting it properly diagnosed. Unfortuntely, Fifth Disease is caused by a virus so there is not too much the doctor can actually do for the child.
Its most contagious before the rash even appears...and usually not contagious after the rash appears...have the provider write a note to the school.

At home remedies can probably help your child, especially for the itching and possible joint pain. Acetaminophen will be good for the fever and joint pain, and oatmeal bath for the rash and the itching.

Hope that is helpful.

Kataleena

certain things they are stricter with, others they are not...really strict with fevers and runny stuff, but not so for vomiting. rae has severe reflux, so they often don't send her home if she pukes.

i'm thinking about your suggestion...she's picked up quite a bit before they open by the bus...and there wouldn't be anyone to talk to that early. hmmm...maybe i'll try to call the driver in the morning and ask her opinion.

while i wouldn't MIND a day off...it's not exactly the best time of the year for it, if you know what i mean.

nope, that is what i'm trying to avoid. i have no transportation for a few days, at least until my van is out of the shop. she's also my sixth kid to raise...i've seen it several times before. fifths is pretty distinctive.



i didn't think of the oatmeal bath, that's a WONDERFUL idea...we already treat her for hypermobility syndrome, so joint pain is VERY common here.



it was, thank you.

and so...i put her on the bus in the morning and headed off to work.

where i promptly received a phone call from the school to pick her up...

when i arrived, i explained to the nurse that she only had fifths disease, and that she wasn't contagious. silly nurse thought it was strep and sent us home with instructions to not return until seen by a doctor.

couldn't get in the doc's office til this morning...so MORE work missed...doc walked in...took one look and said, "look, babe, you've got fifths disease!"

at which point we were kindly sent out with a note for school. grrr.

i'm staying home today, lol.

That drives me crazy!! The school nurse has called me when my 7 year old was faking a stomach ache.......HELLO....aren't they on to that 100 year old trick.....

Wow I feel for you girl actually have never heard of it myself humm time to do some reading huhh.

Okay but do have a suggestion for the itching works like a charm. Yes oatmeal baths are great but just an added hint. Take and old sock if you have unmatched ones seems everyone does fill with Oatmeal tie it in a knot, throw it in the bath water. Let it get all gooey do not use normal soaps when bathing they will dry out the skin more. Take the sock and pat all over the body it will leave a paste which you will not be able to see later. It is best to let them air dry not towel dry leave as much of the paste on as possible. This will help stop the itching a lot. Used it on both of mine when they had the chicken poxs and it work worders just and old home remedy but one that works. Good luck girl.

drives me NUTS...you'd think a nurse dealing with children would know the difference between strep and fifths.

that's a wonderful suggestion, kristi...if she gets itchy again, that's exactly what i'm doing.



my 11 yo pulled that a couple years ago, and succeeded marvelously. like her mother, she can puke at will. on command. after making me pick her up FOUR TIMES, they tried to make me take her to the doctor...and i cornered her and she admitted that it was on purpose, because she liked spending time with mom.

if it were up to the school, she'd've been all at the GI doc's...

Chamomile tea, oatmeal bath, vitamin A and C, and even apple and grape juice help cure and soothe. Chamomile tea provides a calming effect over the whole body decreasing the spreading and worsening of topical irritation. Vitamin A and C boost the body's immune system enabling better defense against 5ths.


It could be worse.... you could have a child that eats barium like a chip dip

Good Luck......