How to Identify Scarlet Fever
Instructions
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Assess symptoms as they occur. In most cases, scarlet fever displays a progression through roughly six days. The first signs to watch for are fever, or complaints of a sore throat. The throat will appear red. In some cases, parents may even feel enlarged lymph nodes in the neck at this time. These symptoms generally occur in one day.
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Watch for a bright red rash that appears on the face. In most cases, this rash will not occur around the mouth, a distinct sign of this particular condition. This rash usually appears on the second day.
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Check your child's tongue. At or around the third day, the tongue will also appear bright red, and is often called a "strawberry tongue." The rash will also spread to other body areas and especially bodily creases, creating an uncomfortable rash that affects the neck, chest and back, then the extremities.
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Watch for signs that the rash appears to be drying out and shedding, or peeling. This sign may occur anywhere between three to six days, and will continue for as many as ten to fourteen days. Signs of redness and bumps will gradually decrease during this time frame as well.
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