Common Rashes / Illnesses in children

Measles Mumps (rubeola)

• Maculopapular eruption that usually • Characterized by unilateral or bilateral begins on the face and spreads to the parotitis. Typically no rash. trunk and extremities. Rash lasts five to • Parotitis usually appears within the six days. first two days of illness, and symptoms • Prodrome of fever, followed by cough, decrease after about one week. coryza and conjunctivitis for two to four • Low-grade fever, malaise, headache days. Fever can exceed 104°F. and loss of appetite may appear before onset of swelling.

Image Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/Barbara Rice Image Source: CDC

Rubella Varicella (German Measles) (chickenpox)

• Rash generally starts on the face • Initial rash consists of macules that and spreads down the body. Rash is progress quickly to papules, vesicles, maculopapular and lasts three to five pustules and scabs. First appears on days. May resemble measles, but rash the head and is more pronounced on the is milder and not confluent. trunk than extremities. • Symptoms in younger children are mild; • Appears in successive crops with lesions older children may have a one- to five- in different stages over a period of two to day prodrome with low-grade fever. four days and may be pruritic. • Mild prodrome of fever and malaise may occur one to two days before rash onset.

Image Source: CDC Image Source: CDC

roseola infantum Scarlet Fever (exanthem subitum) (scarlatina)

• Sudden onset of high fever, 102°F to 105°F, • Rash is often first noticed on the trunk lasting three to five days. and rapidly spreads to cover entire • As fever subsides, a rash begins on neck body. Rash appears as red and finely and trunk and spreads to extremities and punctate, fades on pressure and almost lasts one to two days. Rash is erythematous always leads to desquamation. macular or maculopapular. Lesions are • The face may appear flushed. Deep red discreet and two mm to five mm in diameter lines may appear in the skin folds of and blanch on pressure. the joints. The tongue may be coated • May be accompanied by mild cough, yellowish white, then become red and coryza, headache, abdominal pain and mild swollen, leading to “strawberry tongue” inflammation of the pharynx and tonsils. appearance.

Image Source: “Scarlet Fever 2” by Alicia Williams Image Source: Stan L. Block, MD, FAAP (Estreya) is licensed under CC BY 2.5

Kawasaki syndrome fifth disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome) (erythema infectiosum) • Illness usually begins with a fever, which may be high and spiking and lasts one to two weeks, • Begins with a nonspecific illness which followed by a raised, deep-red, plaque-like rash, often goes unrecognized. Some patients typically over the trunk but often widespread and may develop fever, coryza, headache, including the extremities. nausea and diarrhea. • Rash is maculopapular with multiforme-like • Two to five days later, rash begins as lesions and may resemble scarlet fever. Rash solid, bright red area of eruption on the is often accompanied by painful edema of the cheeks (“slapped cheek” appearance). hands and feet. • May include a second-stage rash on • Patients may also develop conjunctivitis; the trunk and limbs within a few days. dry, cracked lips; a red “strawberry tongue”; As the rash fades, it may have a typical erythema of the oropharynx; and cervical lacy appearance, and may recur. lymphadenopathy.

Image Source: “Kawasaki_symptoms” by Dong Soo Kim Image Source: Andrew Kerr/Wikimedia Commons/ is licensed under CC BY 2.0 Public Domain

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