# Fifth Disease (Really, that's what it's called) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068 "2005-06-13T12:30:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![taxi78cab](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47c2d/32.png) [@taxi78cab](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/taxi78cab)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/21 "2005-06-13T14:46:46Z")
**beckwell** , I missed your post while I was typing. Good luck with the surgery! We’ll be sending good thoughts your way. Just don’t tell us too much more about drilling bones and burning flesh! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/22 "2005-06-13T14:48:24Z")
Bizzare. I’ve never heard of it until recently. My son just came down with a mild case of fifth a couple of weeks ago. He complained about a headache and a general muscle/joint soreness. Fell asleep on the couch at 7pm and slept right through until morning. Didn’t even remember being carried to bed. Now, it’s just a rash on his arms and legs. It’s actually not very visible unless he is exposed to the summer sun/heat for extended periods. He complains of it being itchy when that happens and his skin turns really red/flushed. Once he has a cool bath and spends some time inside with the A/C he’s just fine again. No (extra) whining, fever or any other symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/23 "2005-06-13T15:16:24Z")
> [@MLS](#): > > BTW, I’ve read that “Fifth Disease” was because there were already 4 common childhood illnesses with a rash as the main symptom, and this was the 5th one. Wikipedia agrees with you, and also notes that there is a Sixth Disease. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth\_disease](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_disease) ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/24 "2005-06-13T15:24:34Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > So far, I can’t come up with any reasons TO have kids! But they’re so cute! And when they get older, you can make them take out the trash and do all the boring stuff you don’t want to do. And you can warp and twist their little minds, and make them into little mini-versions of you who can carry out your evil scheme to Take Over the World!! ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/25 "2005-06-13T15:51:01Z")
When the VunderKind was about a year old, he contracted something called Kawasaki Syndrome, which is a very nasty viral infection that can cause heart damage. All I have to say is that after you pay the damned bills for the hospitalization, they ought to give you a shiny new motorcycle. ---
**Author:** ![DogMom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9c0ed/32.png) [@DogMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DogMom)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/26 "2005-06-13T15:51:24Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > Yesterday afternoon ACBG and me actually got in the pool for about 45 minutes! Then the rain started again. Ooo, was it thunderbooming and that’s why you got out? Because if it was just normal rain I’ve never understood why people get out of the pool if it starts Normal Raining. I mean, really, what’s gonna happen - you _might get wet_? Just something I’ve always thought was funny. Don’t mind me. ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/27 "2005-06-13T16:02:20Z")
> [@beckwall](#): > > **scout** , sadly I will miss the SD Dopefest next weekend. Actually, I’m not even sure you are still having it, since I haven’t seen the thread for awhile. But everyone should carry on and have some chips and salsa in my honor, and for Og’s sake please get a picture of **silenus’** crazy shirt! It is still going on, and I’m sorry you won’t be there. But it’s quite understandable. We’ll definitely chip and salsa for you, and perhaps even hoist a beverage in your name. ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/28 "2005-06-13T16:05:00Z")
> [@swampbear](#): > > Puking kids is one of the many reasons I’m glad I’m a boy who likes boys. I don’t have to deal with stuff like that. You could get a store-bought kid, rather than a DIY project. Some places. (I’m pretty sure Georgia is not a place People Like You can order themselves up a kid. Maybe it is, but I’m betting not.) Good luck with the after-market parts **Becks**. I’m sure everything will be juuuuust fine. ---
**Author:** ![VunderBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/839c29/32.png) [@VunderBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VunderBob)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/29 "2005-06-13T16:12:55Z")
> [@beckwall](#): > > (Hijack, skip this part if you are squeamish or have no interest in me) > This will be my last MMP for awhile. This time next week, a skilled surgeon will be removing the head of my femur and drilling a hole into the bone, scraping the hip socket and replacing everything with a cool titanium prosthesis. And the best part is - I will be (somewhat) awake while they do it! I have chosen door #3, epidural with IV sedation. Unless they sedate me heavily, I will most certainly hear some bone saw action and smell some cauterized flesh. No big deal, since I’m a nurse and I’ve seen and heard and smelled everything there is on the human body. But wait, it’ll be me that they are hacking into! Sigh. Believe it or not, my 2 biggest fears involve insertion of a Foley catheter and getting stuck with an 18 gauge needle (larger than normal, so they can transfuse me). You’re braver than I by opting for the epidural. I didn’t want to know a thing last week, and by golly, the last thing I remembered was the gas passer putting the mask on my face in the OR, and the next thing I knew I was in my hospital room. If I could figure out how to send you some of my superhuman recovery powers, I would. Well, when I was done using them myself… 😉 Oh, and Foley catheters. I never had the clap in my life, but I’ll bet that’s what the burning sensation you have when one is pulled feels like… ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/30 "2005-06-13T16:17:24Z")
**Rue,** I’m hoping your kiddos are doing better today. My kids have never had this, nor have they ever had strep throat. Come to think of it, I’ve never had strep throat either. Our weekend, was busy, as per usual. Lots of running around, taking care of business, with some fun thrown in. Saturday we had a neighborhood garage sale, in which we did not participate. We did, however, go chat with our neighbors and have lots of laughs. We also went out to breakfast, and, as we were pulling out of our driveway, we noticed a sign on the windshield of **Mr. Tater’s** truck. The sign said " 1 million dollars or best offer". We got a good laugh out of that one. Yesterday, we went out on the boat and fished, relaxed, cruised around, and I pulled the hubby around on water skis, until…the skis broke! :eek: The hubby had a spectacular crash, but he wasn’t hurt or anything. After that, we just kind of cruised the lake, and then came in. I kept telling the hubby that he needed to take the skis back and ask for our money back. We’ve only used those skis on four outings. We showed the skis to a neighbor and he said the same thing I did. So, the hubby took the skis back, he was credited for the amount of the skis (we still had the sticker on them, thank goodness), and bought the best skis they had there. The only cost us $75.00 with tax. **beckwell,** best of luck with the surgery. We’ll miss you. Well, it’s Monday for sure here at work. Guess I better do some work now. ---
**Author:** ![susan\_foster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d9b06d/32.png) [@susan\_foster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan_foster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/31 "2005-06-13T16:19:30Z")
> [@VunderBob](#): > > When the VunderKind was about a year old, he contracted something called Kawasaki Syndrome, which is a very nasty viral infection that can cause heart damage. > > All I have to say is that after you pay the damned bills for the hospitalization, they ought to give you a shiny new motorcycle. My parents hated me so much, they tried to kill me. But they did it subtly - they gave me aspirin when I had chicken pox. [Bad, bad idea.](http://health.yahoo.com/ency/healthwise/hw74464) But I saw through their clever plans, and survived. You’ll notice in that link that the disease can cause brain damage. Bet y’all are nodding your heads and saying “That explains a lot”. Susan ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/32 "2005-06-13T16:24:06Z")
> [@taxi78cab](#): > > Boy, there’s another reason I don’t want kids! That and the 43 hours of labor a friend’s cousin went through on Friday. :eek: So far, I can’t come up with any reasons TO have kids! 43 hours?? - faints dead away \* ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/33 "2005-06-13T16:33:39Z")
> [@Rue DeDay](#): > > First Place > Second Thoughts > The Third World > The Fourth Estate > Fifth Disease Aren’t those the titles in the new series of James Patterson books? ---
**Author:** ![Spiff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiff/32/9852_2.png) [@Spiff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiff)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/34 "2005-06-13T16:46:11Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > who can carry out your evil scheme to Take Over the World!! Mr. Ender, is that you? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/35 "2005-06-13T17:06:05Z")
Meh. So far, the kidlet’s had two rashes. The first was strep. Poor little guy. His throat hurt like hell, he felt like hell, and he certainly looked like hell. He did, however, develop a taste for amoxicillin and would whine when I refused him seconds. Contrast the kidlet’s mommy, whose parents had to hold her down on the kitchen floor and pour the evil pink stuff down her throat. The second was viral exanthema. This is a rather nasty-looking but harmless rash that comes on suddenly but gradually (you can watch the spots form), but leaves just as quickly. Kidlet got said rash after a cold. The rash netted him a trip to the ER, where he learned the joys of tongue depressors and rubber gloves turned into roosters’ heads. I’m raising a hypochondriac. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/36 "2005-06-13T17:07:09Z")
I have to admit that I’d never heard of Fifth Disease before. Perhaps it’s called something else in Canada. Or maybe it’s because I have no kids. My friends have kids though; perhaps I should ask them. I do have a rash, though. Actually, it’s sunburn. That counts as a rash, though, doesn’t it? I went to a roof party yesterday, atop a co-op residence on the street known as Queens Quay in downtown Toronto. This was an extremely cool place to be (in the stylistic hipness sense); the building overlooked Little Norway Park, bicycles crowded the bike lanes, the streetcar was there at the corner; every now and then I could hear the horn of the ferry to the Island Airport, which was about a block away. I believe that ferry sets a world record for shortest scheduled maritime trip; it crosses the Western Gap entrance into Toronto Harbour, a distance of about 150 metres. Yet it still has to have all the standard seaworthiness equipment, radar, lifeboats, etc, all for crossing a channel that a determined man could throw a stone across. The Toronto Harbour Commission, an arms-length federal agency, was going to build a bridge, but there was an election and the new city council scuttled the idea, because it feared that having a fixed link would lead to a great increase in airline flights from the Island Airport, thus increasing noise levels and pollution and annoying the roughly 50 000 people who have just bought condos in the downtown area near the harbour, so that they too can own an ultra-hip and stylish walkin closet on the 47th floor of a tower with a name like Harbourview Estates East or Atlantis Rising or Conch Republic, and gloat to their relatives in North Bay or Sudbury that they have a ‘view of the lake!’, while forgetting that their relatives can actually _swim_ in their lakes… Meanwhile, City Council and the Harbour Commission came to some sort of agreement, the bridge remained cancelled, the lawyers were called off, money changed hands, and the Harbour Commission is actually _finishing_ the International Ferry Terminal on the Eastern Gap at the other end of the harbour, just in time for the second incarnation of the high-speed cross-lake catamaran ferry to Rochester in New York State, which was docking at a temporary facility next to Cherry Beach when it abruptly ceased operation last year as it suddenly ran out of money to pay the fuel bill, and was subsequently bought by the City of Rochester at auction, because Rochester had just redeveopled _their_ harbour area around _their_ new ferry terminal, and they didn’t want to just throw those preparations away. And besides, the ferry company had just gotten permission to transport trucks across the border. The 2.5-hour journey across the lake on the ferry is still three hours shorter than driving around either end of the lake, and it’s on the direct route from Toronto to New York City, and the truckers don’t have to drive on either Highway 401 or the Queen Elizabeth Way, which are both horribly overcrowded, and the 401, all twelve lanes of it, is more accurately known as the Evil Death Highway of Doom anyways, so it’s much better for the truckers to let someone else do the driving while they relax and have a view of the dancing waves. Meanwhile, back at the roof party, we were enjoying fine catered food and conversation while celebrating the fiftieth birthday of the honoree. There was a display of her photography, and the roof was full of old friends and relatives greeting and meeting… but not hugging much, because it was so terribly hot, and people were stickily-uncomfortable and wanted to remain separated. I was wearing my light cotton Indian shirt, which my friend brought back from India, and which was ideally-suited to the tropical summer heat and humidity Toronto has had for the last two weeks or so, and it did a great job of keeping the sun’s rays off me. I got a lot of complements on it too. It’s not the shirt’s fault that I got painfully-sunburned on the nack areas that it didn’t cover. I had to leave early to return home and meet the lady with whom I am collabarating on a video project. But it was a good afternoon. And now I want to live in that neighbourhood. I understand that there are some nice new walk-to-the-water condos going up next to Coronation Park… ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/37 "2005-06-13T17:12:41Z")
> [@susan\_foster](#): > > You’ll notice in that link that the disease can cause brain damage. Bet y’all are nodding your heads and saying “That explains a lot”. Hmmm… ya know… that _does_ add a few pieces to the puzzle at that. 😛 **beckwall** I’ll be keepin’ ya in my thoughts and prayers. I wish you a speedy recovery and excellent pain meds. **VunderBob/Bobbio** you been shopping for a speedo yet? It is not raining right now. And it’s really hot. So natch I have to be here rather than at home, where I could be in the pool in my big floaty chair sippin’ on a cold beer and wondering how the other half lives. _Sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/38 "2005-06-13T17:27:25Z")
Oh, and good luck with the surgery, \*\*beckwall. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rue\_DeDay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/41988e/32.png) [@Rue\_DeDay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rue_DeDay)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/39 "2005-06-13T17:57:58Z")
> [@susan\_foster](#): > > My parents hated me so much, they tried to kill me. But they did it subtly - they gave me aspirin when I had chicken pox. St. Joseph orange-flavored chewable Childrens Aspirin? That was the _best_! In a really gross-tasting chalky medicine sort of way. ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068/40 "2005-06-13T18:02:59Z")
**Rue** I don’t need any kid, whether it be DIY, store bought, mail or internet order or instant out of a box or however those things get made. I always liked gettin’ the nieces or nephew when they were kids and takin’ em out to do stuff. When they got unruly or sick I could hand em back to their 'rents to get fixed. That’s a much better system. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifth-disease-really-thats-what-its-called/308068.md?page=3)