28 Oct 2019
Scarlet Fever
Scarlet fever is a type of bacterial throat infection that also causes a red (scarlet) rash. It usually affects school-aged children aged 5 to 15 years. Symptoms of scarlet fever usually appear between 1 and 3 days after infection and include a very red sore throat, swollen glands and fever. The rash usually starts about 12 to 24 hours after the other symptoms start.
Treatment with antibiotics means most people recover in about a week, but left untreated it can spread to other parts of the body and cause serious health problems.
To avoid giving it to other people, children should cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and wash their hands regularly.
Keep at home?
Yes. Children should be excluded until the day after appropriate antibiotics have been started and the child feels better.
More information
See the HealthDirect Scarlet fever website