I Have Spots

I Have Spots

There are many causes of spots and rashes, especially among children. This site presents a few of the common "spotty" childhood illnesses, some of which are not only confined to children

Measles can be a serious childhood infection. Although it is now rare in Australia due to immunisation, it is still common, and a common cause of death in many developing countries. Measles is highly contagious. An unimmunised child is very likely to catch it if exposed to a person who has measles.

Chickenpox is a common, very contagious viral infection, which is caused by a virus called Varicella Zoster Virus, that over 90% of people get during childhood unless they have been immunised. After an infection, some of the virus may stay in the body (in nerve cells) and at some later time the virus can become active again causing shingles. A vaccine is now available to protect children and adults against chickenpox.

Rubella (which is sometimes called German measles) is usually a mild illness. However it can cause serious harm to an unborn baby if a woman gets it during early pregnancy. For this reason it is strongly recommended that all children are immunised against rubella.

Scarlet fever, (also called scarlatina), is a disease caused by infection with group A streptococcal bacteria that occurs in a small proportion of people with strep throat.

Roseola is one of the very common mild viruses that can cause a temperature and rash in babies and young children. It usually does not cause problems for the child except sometimes causing the child to feel unwell for a few days.

Shingles (Herpes zoster) is an extremely painful skin rash caused by the Varicella zoster virus, the same virus that causes chickenpox. In people who have had chickenpox, the virus is never fully cleared from the body; instead, it remains dormant in the nerve tissues.