Common Childhood Exanthems

Author: Maya Naravi / Editor: Nicola McDonald / Reviewer: Michael Perry, Grace McKay, Amanda King / Code: O2 / Published: 07/06/2021 / Reviewed: 04/12/2025

Prerequisites: Before commencing this session you should have knowledge of febrile illness in children.

Description:

This module describes the most common childhood exanthems that present to emergency departments.

By the end of this session you will be able to:

  • Recognise the clinical manifestations of common childhood exanthems
  • Describe the aetiology and epidemiology of common childhood exanthems
  • Describe how to manage patients with common childhood exanthems
  • Identify which cases need public health notification and how to notify
  • Recall the current immunisation schedule

References

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  2. Dinulos, James G. H, and Thomas P Habif. Habifs Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. Seventh edition. Edinburgh; Elsevier, 2021.
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  4. Kabra SK, Lodha R, Hilton DJ. Antibiotics for preventing complications in children with measles. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Jul 16;(3):CD001477.
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  7. Klassen TP, Hartling L, Wiebe N, Belseck EM. Acyclovir for treating varicella in otherwise healthy children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2005 Oct 19;2005(4):CD002980.
  8. Pollard AJ, Isaacs A, et al. Potentially lethal bacterial infection associated with varicella zoster virus. BMJ. 1996 Aug 3;313(7052):283-5.
  9. Cameron JC, Allan G, et al. Severe complications of chickenpox in hospitalised children in the UK and Ireland. Arch Dis Child. 2007 Dec;92(12):1062-6.
  10. Koskiniemi M, Piiparinen H, et al. Acute central nervous system complications in varicella zoster virus infections. J Clin Virol. 2002 Dec;25(3):293-301.

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