How to Know Scarlet Fever Symptoms

Scarlet fever commonly occurs after someone contracts strep throat. The germs that cause scarlet fever can then be transmitted to others through physical contact and bodily fluids. There are several key symptoms you should know to help diagnose and treat a case of scarlet fever.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Look for signs of fatigue or exhaustion, as these can be some of the initial symptoms that you've contracted scarlet fever. If you feel the need to spend significant portions of the day sleeping, it may be your body's way of telling you it needs time to recover from scarlet fever.

2. Watch your body's internal temperature constantly. Use a thermometer to check for a fever. Scarlet fever can cause temperatures to soar as high as 104 degrees F.

3. Treat your sore throat with lozenges or cough drops, but know that it might be a sign of a more serious infection.

4. Stay near the toilet or have a bucket on hand, as scarlet fever exposure can cause regular vomiting.

5. Check your heart rate regularly. A rapid heart rate, known as Tachycardia, can be an indication that you're suffering from scarlet fever.

6. Feel the area beneath your jaw for an indication that your lymph nodes are swollen. This condition, known as Lymphadenopathy, is one of the first indications that your body is attempting to fight an infection. While this symptom isn't unique to cases of scarlet fever, it will appear in conjunction with other symptoms.

7. Inspect your body for signs of scarlet fever's characteristic rash. The rash will cause small red bumps on the chest, armpits or behind the ears. The bumps will be textured and will blanch when touched.

Tips & Warnings

• Scarlet fever occurs most frequently in children under the age of 18.
• To guard against the threat of scarlet fever, wash your hands regularly when interacting with an infected person. Don't share drinks or eating utensils with someone you believe may be infected. This is also important when interacting with a strep throat patient, as one disease can lead to the other.
• The methods of treating a case of scarlet fever are similar to those for treating strep throat. Talk to your doctor about receiving a penicillin treatment. If have an allergy to penicillin, you should know that erythromycin or clindamycin treatments can be substituted.
• While scarlet fever and rheumatic fever share many of the same symptoms and origins, they are not the same disease.

Resources

• Scarlet fever information from the Centers for Disease Control

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