Help, do I change my holiday plans due to this?

[mum2sarah]

I do not vax my kids and my 4 1/2 year old came down yesterday with a red bumpy rash on her cheeks and today it has spread to her shoulders and legs. I think it is either fifth's disease or rubella, but she has no fever, isn't complaining of any other symptoms and seems energetic and otherwise healthy. I'm not concerned about her, but I'm concerned about exposing her to other children and/or pregnant women for extended family gatherings tomorrow (I don't think anyone in our family is pregnant, but you never know...) . Do you think I need to change my plans and stay home, or is the risk to others negligible?

[chaoticzenmom]

I don't know, that's tricky. By the time the rash shows, fifth disease is no longer contagious, but who knows what other people will feel about the kid with the rash. Also, you don't know if the other kids have been exposed and will be contagious.

This happened to me just the other day..I'm pregnant and a friend of mine's 11yo daughter came down with a rash after having been ill the week before. I was really worried and kept calling her to see how her other kids were feeling. We were supposed to have dinner all together and I was afraid that one of her kids would be contagious at that time. Right before dinner, all her kids were healthy and the rash hadn't changed, so we kept our dinner plans. I'm hoping that we don't come down with something in 2 weeks. She still has no clue what the rash is, but it looked like 5ths, but no rash was on the face. None of us vaccinate either and we got pox from them, so usually we're more than happy to share germs.

Anyway, I don't know what I'd do if I were you. Does your child with the rash feel good enough to go out?

[mum2sarah]

Yeah, DD seems totally fine to go out places and has no fever whatsoever. She did mention earlier that her belly hurt a little, but it seemed pretty minor and could have been unrelated, because none of the rashy diseases I'm reading about seem to mention any sort of stomach pains associated with them.

Maybe I should just wait it out and see how she looks/feels in the morning???

[Gitti]

I would base my decision on fever.

If there is no fever, I would go, otherwise I would stay at home.

jmho

[NYMOM07]

Originally Posted by mum2sarah

Yeah, DD seems totally fine to go out places and has no fever whatsoever. She did mention earlier that her belly hurt a little, but it seemed pretty minor and could have been unrelated, because none of the rashy diseases I'm reading about seem to mention any sort of stomach pains associated with them.

Maybe I should just wait it out and see how she looks/feels in the morning???

I would have it checked out first, it isnt right to expose people to something when you have no idea what it is, especially if it could really jepordize others- such as pregnant women. hth

[mommabear207]

i would find out what it is first or stay home