How serious is scarlet fever?

My sons preschool sent a letter home today saying that scarlet fever is going around. How serious is it, and what signs and symptoms should I watch for.

Scarlet fever is strep throat with a rash.. no more...no less..
what parents would need to be concerned about is the progression of strep turning into rheumatic fever. So if your sons presents w/ a fever sore throat and a rash go to your doctor. Good luck.

maybe u should google it....
as far as i know its really serious, i think its even fatal...
i wouldn't send him to preschool till u know its gone

It's serious. Watch for fever, cough, limpness, No energy.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseasein...
this link to the cdc will give you all the information you need.

scarlet fever must always be taken seriously, it can infect the heart and damage it. Leading to life long disability and early death.

it can cause blindness and I think heart problems. Just watch out for high fevers and if he looks really flushed

Scarlet fever is pretty much strep throat with a fever and rash.

Other symptoms, especially in children ages 2-10, can include general body aches, headache, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, or listlessness. However, cold/flu symptoms are NOT seen.

Symptoms that may occur before the rash include:
* Fever of 101 F or higher.
* Sore throat and difficulty swallowing.
* White or yellow spots or coating on the throat and tonsils.
* Swollen lymph nodes in the neck.

Scarlet fever can be easily cured with antibiotics (see a doctor!).

Complications:
These include infection of the middle ear, sinusitis, and pneumonia. In rare cases, a more serious infection may develop, such as rheumatic fever or rheumatic heart disease. Most cases of scarlet fever can be cured without any permanent complications. :)

scarlet is very serious. many people died when there was an epidemic way back when. not to scare you.

I had Scarlet Fever when I was around 4, my skin became red, along the arms and body, and down to my knees, though nowadays people have vaccines for it so it's rarely fatal, but can be. I can't remember much but, my mother said I had a itchy redness to my skin. So I guess look out for that.