They say that the first line of defense is prevention. But when sickness has already struck, next in line is knowing the enemy. That is always the wise thing to do. Roseola a.k.a. “Tigdas Hangin” in our vernacular, is the impression my son’s doctor has about his illness. So now, I have been reading about what Roseola is and here are what I found out about this infection.
A child with roseola would exhibit these signs and symptoms: typically develops a mild upper respiratory illness, followed by a high fever (often over 103° Fahrenheit, or 39.5° Celsius) for up to a week. During this time, the child may appear fussy or irritable and may have a decreased appetite and swollen lymph nodes (glands) in the neck.
Roseola is contagious and spreads through tiny drops of fluid from the nose and throat of infected people. These drops are expelled when the infected person talks, laughs, sneezes, or coughs. Then if other people breathe the drops in or touch them and then touch their own noses or mouths, they can become infected as well.
The viruses that cause roseola do not appear to be spread by kids while they are exhibiting symptoms of the illness. Instead, someone who has not yet developed symptoms often spreads the infection. Its duration lasts from 3 to 7 days, followed by a rash lasting from hours to a few days. Sponge bath should be regularly given to the child until his temperature drops.
It is said that the diagnosis of roseola is often uncertain until the fever drops and the rash appears. This fact still leaves me worried. The doctor told us to get his blood checked tomorrow if fever doesn’t drop. Until then, we are still really in the dark what our son is sick of.
