Other Names:
Scarlatina

Symptoms:
Symptoms appear 2-7 days after exposure. Vomiting, along with sore throat and headache. Within a day, high fever develops. Throat membrane is inflamed, and soft palate may show a fine light-red rash.

The tongue is coated white, but on the second day reddened raised points show through, especially at the tip and sides.

The throat condition becomes more severe, with redness and enlargement of glands under lower jaw.

The rash usually begins on the chest within 1-2 days after the first symptoms, and later extends to other parts of the body and limbs. But infection can occur without a rash occurring.

Cause:
Scarlet fever is an acute contagious disease and is caused by one of several different streptococci germs. Urine and discharges from nose, mouth, ears, and any abscesses are highly infectious. One attack generally brings lifelong immunity, and few contract it after the age of 15.

The fever usually does not remain high more than 4 days, and the rash fades within a week. The more intense the rash, the more scaling forms on the skin.

Inflammation of the ear is one of the most frequent complications of scarlet fever. The infection in the throat passes up the Eustachian tube into the middle ear (see "Earache and Infection"). Children can become deaf as a result.

The infection may extend from the ear to the mastoid cells in the bone behind the ear, or to the membranes covering the brain, or to both, producing mastoiditis (which see), brain abscess, or meningitis (which see). These conditions are serious and often fatal.

Rheumatic fever (which see) frequently follows scarlet fever, and this sometimes results in inflammation of the lining membranes and valves of the heart.

Enlargement of the lymph glands of the neck can turn into an abscess of these glands, as late as 5-6 weeks after the disease began.

In a child well-advanced toward recovery (especially in the third week), nephritis (which see; it is a kidney infection) can develop. So this is another danger to be warded off by proper treatment.

Scarlet fever is not a matter to be taken lightly.

You do well to call a physician, if possible. He may need to lance the middle ear if infection develops. He will probably examine the heart daily for indications of damage and do frequent urinalysis for signs of nephritis.

Treatment:
• Put him on a fruit and vegetable juice fast, followed by a simple diet of fruits, vegetables, and broths for a time.

• Inadequate care, improper food, and too early physical activity are the chief dangers.

• This is a contagious disease, so proper precautions must be taken.

• If the temperature goes above 103o F., reduce it by means of tepid sponges.

• If there is a sore throat, apply hot fomentation twice a day to the area, followed by continuous heating compresses.

• When the rash begins to appear, give a long-continued hot footbath, along with hot drinks, all the while keeping him covered with blankets. The objective is to get him to sweat. But, afterward, guard against chilling!

• To help prevent kidney damage, when he goes back on food, eliminate eggs, meat, meat broths, and legumes from the diet. Give him only milk, cereals, fruit juices, pureed vegetables, and all the water he will drink.

• To hasten the scaling of the skin, and get it over with, give a daily sponge bath with warm water and mild soap, followed by an olive oil rub.

• Keep him in bed at least 3 weeks, even though he feels well! Muscular activity too soon can result in kidney damage.

• Helpful herbs include black rose, twinleaf, and bloodroot.