Three-day Fever - Teething Troubles

Three-day fever

Three-day fever (Exanthema subitum) is an infectious disease that occurs almost exclusively in children between the ages of six months and two years. It practically ends by the onset of the rash and leaves a lifetime of protection. The three-day fever is mostly caused by the human herpes virus type 6 (HHV-6), more rarely by type 7 (HHV-7)…

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What are the symptoms?

The fever suddenly rises sharply, often with vomiting, diarrhea and cramps. Sometimes there is a mild runny nose. In infants, the fontanel (gap in the skullcap) is often stretched and bulging. The fever usually lasts for three to four days. As the fever subsides, a rash with small to medium-sized pale red spots will spread all over your body within a few hours. The rash will go away quickly, usually by the next day. In the context of three-day fever, febrile seizures occur frequently without any further consequences.

Note The time from infection to the appearance of the first symptoms is three to seven days.

How is the diagnosis made & how is the treatment carried out?

The diagnosis can be confirmed by means of laboratory tests. Treatment is limited to alleviating the symptoms (e.g. fever-lowering measures).

Whom can I ask?

As soon as the first signs of illness appear, you should take your child to a doctor specializing in general medicine or paediatrics. However, other diseases can usually only be ruled out when the fever subsides and the rash appears at the same time.