We Plead The Fifth

Fifth's Disease that is. This is the latest illness visiting our house & so far it is the ugliest looking. Fifth's occurs in 2 stages but usually is not diagnosed until the second stage b/c the 1st stage presents itself as a cold or flu - runny nose, cough, low grade fever, headache. Emma had these things (minus fever) for about 10 days & it was chalked up to allergies (add in a cough). Symptoms go away & then stage 2 hits about 7-10 later......bright red blotchy cheeks for about 48 hours followed by a lacey, latice, red rash on the arms, thighs, chest, & upper back. Emma is the classic textbook case. The red cheeks & rashes have appeared right on schedule. Fifth's disease is only conagious PRIOR to the 2nd stage (the rash) so by the time you realize what the child has, she has already exposed the class b/c stage 1 always goes treated as a cold, etc. The looks horrible, can last up to 5 weeks, & is now getting itchy. Yuck. Good news....not contagious (but it looks like it should be!)