Slapped Cheek Disease Since this disease is a mild illness, it usually does not require treatment and we should not normally be overly worried about it. It might be worthwhile advising parents to try oatmeal baths or other over-the-counter bath treatments for a child whose rash itches.

 The disease usually produces a characteristic bright red rash on the cheeks of an infected child, which gives the disease its more common name of Slapped Cheek Disease, rather than it’s medical titles of Erythema Infectiosum or Fifth Disease. Awkwardly, the red rash does not appear until an infected person is no longer contagious, so it is as well to be aware of earlier symptoms, to try to minimize the chance of the infection being passed on.

And, even more awkwardly, fifth disease sometimes doesn’t have any symptoms.

When symptoms do occur, however, they may include mild cold-like symptoms (stuffy nose, runny nose, slight fever), body aches, headache and fatigue. These symptoms pass after three or four days and are followed primarily in children by a characteristic rash that is bright red and usually begins on the cheeks (the "slapped cheek" rash). This facial rash is followed by a rash on the arms, legs, trunk and buttocks, which is not raised in any way and which has a lacy or blotchy appearance.

The blotchy rash may itch, and it may last from several days to several weeks before it fades. Even after the rash clears, it sometimes may reappear if the skin is irritated by rubbing, heat, cold, exercise or exposure to sunlight.

Adolescents can get fifth disease (as indeed can adults) but they may not have any symptoms or may develop the typical rash, joint pain and swelling (most often at the knuckles, wrists and knees) or both. Fifth disease usually only lasts for a maximum of three weeks, but the rash may last longer and joint pains in adolescents may even last for a few months.

Typically there are no long-term problems associated with the disease, although children who have blood disorders, such as sickle-cell anaemia and those with immune deficiency rarely get the rash but may develop severe anaemia as a result of being infected with the parvovirus B19 which causes Slapped Cheek Disease.

It is difficult to avoid exposure to the illness, because fifth disease is most contagious three to fourteen days before its characteristic rash appears, during which time, the symptoms of the disease could easily be mistaken for a common cold and, since the disease is spread in the droplets of coughs and sneezes, on dirty tissues, and on crockery and cutlery, the best way of avoiding exposure is to be scrupulously hygienic and to ensure that your minded children are taught proper personal hygiene with regard to coughs, sneezes, eating and drinking.