I awoke with a terrible headache, my throat was scratchy and sore, and my body ached all over. I was having a fever. I had heard of scarlet fever before, but I never thought I would actually get it.
My mom took my temperature and it was 105 degrees; I had a high fever. She quickly called the doctor, who told us that I had scarlet fever. He prescribed antibiotics for me and told my mom to monitor my fever, we were instructed to give me ibuprofen for the fever, and to make sure I stayed hydrated.
The next few weeks were a blur. I was fatigued and often fell asleep in the middle of the day. I had to stay at home from school and get lots of rest. My throat burned from the sore throat and I could hardly swallow. I had to drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration.
At first, the antibiotics didn’t seem to work, but slowly the fever began to go down. My throat stopped hurting and I started to feel better. The doctor told us that I had to take the antibiotics for 3 weeks to make sure the infection was completely gone.
After a few weeks of treatment, I finally started to feel better. I was able to go back to school and resume my regular activities. I was careful to stay hydrated and to wash my hands often to prevent any further infections.
I was so relieved when the fever finally broke and I was healed. I was fortunate that my parents took me to the doctor right away and that I followed my treatment plan. Scarlet fever is a serious illness and can cause complications if it’s not treated right away. I’m grateful that I was able to get the care I needed and to be cured.