Scarlet fever outbreak in Baltimore elementary school
City health officials in Baltimore sent letters home Thursday to parents of students at George Washington Elementary to keep an eye on possible symptoms of scarlet fever after three students at the school were confirmed positive this week.
The letter urges parents of students at the school to contact their medical provider if a child has symptoms.
According to a WJZ Baltimore report, school authorities are having the southwest Baltimore school sanitized to prevent it from spreading to more students. Disinfection will be performed on all surfaces and handrails.
Dr. Nardine Assaad, a pediatrician at St. Joseph Medical Center told the news source that this is actually common this time of year, we’re seeing multiple kids with sore throats, strep throat and/or scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is a form of group A strep disease, however this disease can follow strep throat.
In addition to the symptoms of strep throat, a red rash appears on the sides of your chest and abdomen. It may spread to cover most of the body.
City health officials in Baltimore sent letters home Thursday to parents of students at George Washington Elementary to keep an eye on possible symptoms of scarlet fever after three students at the school were confirmed positive this week.
The letter urges parents of students at the school to contact their medical provider if a child has symptoms.
According to a WJZ Baltimore report, school authorities are having the southwest Baltimore school sanitized to prevent it from spreading to more students. Disinfection will be performed on all surfaces and handrails.
Dr. Nardine Assaad, a pediatrician at St. Joseph Medical Center told the news source that this is actually common this time of year, we’re seeing multiple kids with sore throats, strep throat and/or scarlet fever.
Scarlet fever is a form of group A strep disease, however this disease can follow strep throat.
In addition to the symptoms of strep throat, a red rash appears on the sides of your chest and abdomen. It may spread to cover most of the body.
Also you may get a bright strawberry-red tongue and a rosy face, while the area around the mouth remains pale. Skin on the tips of the fingers and toes often peel after you get better.
You may also have fever, nausea and vomiting in more severe cases.
You get scarlet fever the same way you get strep throat; through direct contact with throat mucus, nasal discharge and saliva from an infected person.
Scarlet fever is usually diagnosed by doing a throat culture or a rapid strep antigen test. Treatment, like with strep throat, is with antibiotics.
How do you prevent scarlet fever?
The following recommendations come from Kid’s Health:
In everyday life, there is no perfect way to avoid the infections that cause scarlet fever. When a child is sick at home, it’s always safest to keep that child’s drinking glasses and eating utensils separate from those of other family members, and to wash these items thoroughly in hot soapy water. Wash your own hands frequently as you care for a child with a strep infection.
