Scarlet Fever Symptoms

Skin Rashes

The symptoms of scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, typically include other classic strep throat symptoms, including fever, sore throat, red tonsils with pus on them, and swollen glands.

In addition, after about 24 hours, children with scarlet fever will have a red, sunburn-like, sandpapery rash all over their body, although it often starts on their neck and then spreads over their trunk, arms, and legs.

Other characteristics of scarlet fever include that:

• the rash is usually darker in a child's flexor skin creases (Pastia lines), such as the creases of their elbows, groin, and neck
• the area around a child's mouth is usually spared from the rash, but their cheeks may be flushed
• the rash blanches with pressure, so for example, it disappears for a few seconds if you press down on it
• children can have a white strawberry tongue, with a red tongue that develops a white coating on it
• the rash may be itchy
• as it goes away, the skin on a child's trunk and then hands and feet may peel

It is possible to have scarlet fever without strep throat though, as other strep infections, including skin and wound infections, can also cause scarlet fever, as long as they are being caused by the same group A strep bacteria that causes strep throat. If a child doesn't have any symptoms of strep throat, but it does seem like they have scarlet fever, then signs or symptoms of another source for a strep infection should be looked for.