Overview
Roseola is a common, usually mild viral illness in babies and toddlers. It classically causes several days of high fever followed by a pink, spotty rash that appears as the fever breaks. The rash is harmless, and most children recover fully without specific treatment.
Symptoms
- Sudden high fever lasting roughly three to five days
- Pink or rose-coloured rash on the trunk that appears after the fever drops
- Mild runny nose, cough, or irritability
- Reduced appetite
- Sometimes swollen glands in the neck
Causes & risk factors
- Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), and less commonly HHV-7
- Spread through tiny droplets from saliva and respiratory secretions
- Most common in children between six months and two years of age
Treatment & self-care
Care is mainly supportive — keeping the child comfortable, well hydrated, and resting while the fever runs its course. A licensed clinician should assess any infant with a high fever to rule out other causes, and the rash itself needs no treatment.
See a doctor urgently if
- A baby under three months has any fever
- Fever is very high, lasts more than five days, or your child seems very unwell
- Your child has a seizure during the fever
- Your child is very drowsy, hard to wake, or has a stiff neck
- The rash looks like dark spots or bruises that do not fade when pressed — emergency