Roseola is a common virus that infects children under age 2. Most of the time, it’s nothing to worry about, and kids get better on their own. It’s also sometimes called “sixth disease.”
A child may not have any symptoms for 5-15 days after getting the virus that causes roseola. When symptoms do appear, the first thing you’ll notice is a sudden, high fever (over 103 F) that lasts or can come and go for 3-7 days.
Other than the fever, your child might seem healthy. She may be restless or irritable. Once the fever goes away, she might also develop a raised, spotty, reddish rash, mainly on her neck and trunk. It doesn’t itch and may last just a few hours or a few days.
Your child might also have diarrhea, cough, and droopy or swollen eyelids.