The swallowing problems
The swallowing difficulties in scarlet fever have two causes. Firstly, the throat is very inflamed and the swallowing process is very painful for the person affected. Often only liquid or soft food can be ingested.
The swelling, however, also disturbs the swallowing process itself and even under pain medication it is restricted. Ice or cool drinks can reduce the swelling in the throat and thus make swallowing easier. Children in particular should ensure a sufficient fluid intake despite the swallowing difficulties.
The fever
Like most bacterial diseases, scarlet fever is associated with fever. The body temperature rises rapidly at the beginning of the disease. Basically, fever is a normal reaction of the body to infection and shows that the immune system is fighting the disease.
However, if the fever rises too high, it should be lowered with medication, as too high temperatures can restrict bodily functions. Like all symptoms, fever is not a necessary symptom of scarlet fever, which can make diagnosis difficult. Without a fever, scarlet fever is often not detected and can spread more easily.
The rash
A typical symptom of scarlet fever is a rough skin rash all over the body. This rash can lead to severe itching. Itching may also occur as the symptoms subside.
Perfume-free skin care creams can reduce the itching. Small children can be put on gloves to prevent the skin from scratching. The itching subsides with the other symptoms of the disease. What can be done in case of a skin rash? –
The Scarlet Tongue
The tongue is one way of identifying the pathogen in many diseases. In scarlet fever, a dense, sweet-smelling coating forms on the entire tongue, but it quickly falls off. Afterwards, a distinct reddening of the tongue with individual swollen taste buds is noticeable.
This coloration leads to the name strawberry or raspberry tongue, which is typical for scarlet fever. When scarlet tongue occurs, community institutions such as kindergartens should be avoided and a pediatrician should be consulted. These changes in the tongue are part of the rash and occur because the mucous membrane of the tongue tries to fend off the bacteria and their toxins.
The scarlet tongue can be used to assess the severity of the disease. Like many symptoms, raspberry tongue is often part of scarlet fever, but does not have to occur. Raspberry tongue can be absent especially in cases of reinfection, i.e. when the disease flares up again. Just like the skin of the body, the tongue also scales when the rash heals. You can find more information about scarlet tongue here.
