Symptoms of Fifth Disease in Children
Symptoms usually show up 4 to 14 days after being exposed to the disease. About 80 percent of children have very mild symptoms for about a week before getting the rash. About 20 percent will have no symptoms at all before the rash appears. Children are most contagious before the rash occurs. Therefore, children are contagious before they even know they have the disease. The following are the most common symptoms of fifth disease. However, symptoms can be different for each child.

Early symptoms are sometimes very mild and nearly unnoticed. These symptoms may include:

Low grade fever

Headache

Runny nose

Sore throat

Itching

Nausea or vomiting

Diarrhea

A rash is usually the primary symptom of fifth disease. The rash:

Starts on the cheeks and is bright red. It often looks like "slapped" cheeks.

Spreads to the trunk, arms, and legs, and lasts two to four days. It often has a "lacey" appearance.

May come back when the child is exposed to sunlight, very hot or cold temperature, or trauma to the skin. This may continue for several days.

Fifth disease is usually a mild illness. However, parvovirus B19 infection may cause an acute severe anemia in persons with sickle-cell disease or immune deficiencies. There is a small risk of fetal death if fifth disease is acquired during pregnancy.