Rashes and Danny Phantom

“Your little brother has the rashes,” I tell my 3-year old. “It’s called Roseola infantum.”

My 3-year old looks at me.

“Do you know what Roseola infantum is?” I asked.

“Uh-huh.”

“What is it?”

“It’s Danny Phantom,” he said.

I get the connection, I guess. Phantom rhymes with infantum. The connection, however, ends there. Danny Phantom, a character at Nick TV, is a kid who could turn ghost to fight bad ghosts. Roseola infantum, according to WebMD, is a mild illness common in children 6 months to 2 years old.

I tell my 3-year old this. I tell him Roseola caused the high fever that his little brother felt for the past three days. I tell him Roseola also caused the rashes appearing in his little brother’s face, arms and legs.

“These are the symptoms of Roseola infantum,” I tell my 3-year old. “Sudden high fever that suddenly ends two to three days later, followed by rosy-pink rash lasting one to two days.”

My 3-year old looks at me, saying nothing.

Then he smiles.

“Nah,” he said. “You’re kitting me. It’s Danny Phantom!”


For more information about Roseola infantum, visit WebMD. Although Roseola is considered a mild illness, consult with your doctor if your child suddenly develops high fever or rashes. I did.