Roseola

Roseola is a viral infection that mostly affects babies and young children, typically in the first two years of life. Roseola causes a sudden, high fever that lasts about three to four days. After the fever breaks, some children develop a rash that lasts two to four days. Most children can recover at home in a week or less.

Roseola is often harmless and doesn’t lead to complications. However, it’s important to know that febrile seizures are a possible complication. These are mild, short-lived seizures that usually have no lasting effects but can be scary to witness. Children who have weakened immune systems may have more serious complications from roseola.

Your child can catch roseola any time of year, but it’s most common in the spring and fall. Roseola is contagious and spreads through saliva or respiratory droplets, often from people who don’t yet have any symptoms. Your child is no longer contagious once their fever has been gone for 24 hours.

Other names for roseola include:

• Roseola infantum.
• Sixth disease (because it was the sixth common childhood rash that scientists named).
• Baby measles.
• Three-day fever.
• Exanthem subitum (which means “sudden rash”).

How common is roseola?

Roseola is very common and affects nearly all children by their second birthday. In the U.S., roseola causes up to 45% of all fevers in infants. Of all infants who need care for a fever at an emergency room (ER), about 12% have roseola.

While roseola can cause sickness at any age, it mostly occurs in babies and toddlers. It’s rare for an older child or adult to come down with roseola.