Roseola

Symptoms

• Fever with a rectal temperature above 39°C that lasts for 3 to 7 days
• Mild sore throat, runny nose, or swollen lymph nodes

• Overall good condition despite the fever
• Small pinkish spots on the trunk/neck that may spread to the face, but rarely the arms or legs; this non-itchy rash appears three days after the fever develops or within 24 hours of the fever subsiding

• Has had a fever for over a week
• Has a fever with a rectal temperature above 40°C
• Is in poor general condition or very irritable

What is roseola?

Also known as exanthem subitum or sixth disease, roseola is a contagious disease caused by a virus in the human herpesvirus group (HHV type 6 or 7). It is usually harmless, and complications are very rare. In general, once a child has had roseola, they are immune to the virus for life.

Treatment

No treatment is required for roseola except to manage the fever. Antibiotics are useless against roseola, since the illness is caused by a virus, not bacteria.

When the fever goes down and the rash appears, your child is no longer contagious. At this stage, the disease has largely cleared up. No treatment is required for the rash.

Care and practical advice

Here’s what you can do to relieve your child’s high fever.

• Keep them at home as long as they have a fever. Make sure they drink plenty of fluids and get lots of rest.
• If needed, you can give them acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol^®, Tempra^®) or ibuprofen (e.g., Advil^®, Motrin^®) as indicated and in the doses recommended for their age and weight. Always use acetaminophen first. Ibuprofen should only be given on medical advice. Don’t give ibuprofen to babies under 6 months, and never give Aspirin^® (acetylsalicylic acid) to a child or teenager.
• You can apply a cool, wet washcloth to your child’s skin if you think it will help them feel better. However, be sure to give them fever-reducing medication beforehand.
• Avoid alcohol rubdowns, cold or lukewarm baths, ice baths, and the use of fans, as these may make your child more uncomfortable.

For more practical advice, see our fact sheet on fevers in children (in French).

Prevention

Roseola cannot be prevented. However, hand washing remains the best way to limit the spread of viral infections such as roseola.

Scientific review:Dr. Isabelle Viel-Thériault, pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at CHU de Québec – Université Laval Research and copywriting:The Naître et grandir team Updated: June 2025

Photos: Adobe Stock/Tomsickova and GettyImages/Lizalica