Fifth disease

Zac woke up yesterday covered with a rash. I first noticed his cheeks--they were quite red, and upon closer inspection I saw that there were little red bumps on them. I took a look at his torso and sure enough, the rash was there, on his front and back, and on his arms. I did a lot of checking on the internet and asked the wealth-of-info folks on the home-ed list about it, and the conclusion I came to was fifth disease. I thought it was possible it was rubella, too.

Took him to the doctor today just to confirm, and to find out if he's contagious. Yes, and yes. She thinks there's a possibility that it's rubella, just because she's not seen rubella (she's a young doctor), but that she'd put money on fifth. If fits, certainly....there are no symptoms except the rash. But the virus can be very bad for fetuses....and there are two pregnant women in our homeschool group, and Zac played with the son of one of them last Monday....I already alerted her. It is good that no one that I know of is in early pregnancy.

So, we'll be mostly staying home this week! Zac is enjoying being pampered, because even though he doesn't feel sick he can't do things like go to the library and get his own books on tape, so....I'll be doing that for him.

I just hope I don't get this! Oh, yeah....Paul might have it, too. I first noticed a rash on Paul in the late afternoon on Saturday--just on his arm and back. Yesterday it'd spread to the whole back and the other arm, as well as the top of his scalp.