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Scarlet fever symptoms and when to see a GP in Ireland

The school bag is by the door and your child is hot, with a sore throat. Here is what scarlet fever symptoms can look like, including on brown or black skin, and when to contact a GP in Ireland.

The school bag is by the door. Your child is hot, the throat hurts, and the skin on the chest feels rough. Contact a GP about scarlet fever symptoms today. Do not wait for the rash to spread. Do not wait a week.

Scarlet fever is a contagious infection caused by group A streptococcus bacteria. It passes from person to person. The HSE says it mostly affects young children. Adults can get it too. The symptoms are the same, and it is less common in adults. Read HSE: scarlet fever. That page was reviewed on 21 February 2025. The next review is due on 21 February 2028.

Most high temperatures and sore throats are viral, not scarlet fever. The HSE says that plainly. The way the skin looks cannot confirm it. You need a GP assessment.

A sore throat on its own is in sore throat in Ireland. Swollen tonsils are on tonsillitis in Ireland.

Not for emergencies. Call 112 or 999.

Scarlet fever symptoms

A GP may ask about these signs. They are not a home test.

The HSE says the first signs can be flu-like: a temperature of 38°C or higher, a sore throat, and swollen neck glands.

A rash often starts 12 to 48 hours later. Small raised bumps begin on the chest and tummy, then spread. The skin feels rough, like sandpaper.

On white skin the rash looks pink or red. On brown or black skin it is harder to see, but you can still feel it. The rash does not appear on the face. Cheeks can look red. That redness is harder to see on brown and black skin too.

A white coating on the tongue may peel, leaving it red, swollen, and bumpy. The HSE calls this strawberry tongue. None of this proves scarlet fever. Contact a GP if you suspect it.

When to contact a GP

Phone before you attend. The HSE says scarlet fever spreads very easily, and the GP may suggest a phone consultation.

Contact a GP if you or your child have these symptoms, feel unwell after contact with someone who has scarlet fever, or have scarlet fever and chickenpox at the same time. Also call if you are ill again weeks after getting better. The HSE says that can be a complication, such as rheumatic fever.

If you are pregnant and these symptoms start, contact a GP. The HSE says there is no evidence that scarlet fever in pregnancy harms the baby. It can still make you feel unwell.

The HSE Strep A page says recent chickenpox means a higher chance of serious infection. If a child has both, contact a GP. If they are very unwell or getting worse quickly, call 112 or 999 or go to the emergency department.

Urgent child assessment

Contact the child's own GP, or GP out of hours, urgently now. Do not wait for a later online slot.

The HSE Strep A page, reviewed on 21 February 2025, says to do that if your baby or child:

  • Is feeding, eating, or drinking much less than normal
  • Has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more, or shows other signs of dehydration
  • Is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38°C or higher
  • Is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39°C or higher
  • Feels hotter than usual on the back or chest, or feels sweaty
  • Is very tired or irritable

The under 3 month line is 38°C or higher. That is also how the HSE fever page and the HSE sepsis page state a high temperature in a baby under 3 months. The older than 3 months line on the Strep A page is 39°C or higher.

When to call 112 or 999

These signs bypass booking. Call 112 or 999, or go to the nearest emergency department. Do not use an online booking for them.

The HSE Strep A page says to do that if a child:

  • Has difficulty breathing, with grunting noises or the tummy sucking under the ribs
  • Has pauses when they breathe
  • Has blue skin, a blue tongue, or blue lips
  • Is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake

The HSE page on a high temperature in children was reviewed on 20 October 2025. The next review is due on 20 October 2028. It also says to call 112 or 999, or go to the emergency department, if a child:

  • Has a fever you cannot control
  • Has a stiff neck
  • Has a rash that does not fade when you press a glass against it
  • Is bothered by light
  • Has a fit for the first time
  • Has unusually cold hands and feet
  • Has pale, blotchy, blue, or grey skin
  • Has a weak, high-pitched cry that is not their normal cry
  • Is drowsy and hard to wake
  • Has a soft spot on the head that curves outwards, called a bulging fontanelle

That page has the full emergency list. A child can be very sick without a high temperature. The sandpaper rash is not the glass-test rash. A rash you can see or feel does not rule out a serious illness.

If a child is very unwell, or is getting worse quickly, call 112 or 999 or go to the emergency department. The HSE scarlet fever page lists sepsis as a rare complication. The signs are on HSE: sepsis, reviewed on 28 February 2025. The HSE Strep A page says to get urgent help if you are worried a child is seriously unwell.

GP assessment and prescribed treatment

Scarlet fever needs GP assessment and prescribed treatment for the bacterial infection. Home comfort measures do not replace this. Follow the prescribed course exactly, even if you feel better. Contact your GP if you are not improving or you are getting worse.

The HSE says a GP can often diagnose scarlet fever by looking at the tongue and the rash. They may wipe a swab around the back of the throat, or arrange a blood test. The GP may need to see the person in person for that check.

An online conversation does not guarantee a diagnosis or treatment. It cannot replace an examination, a throat swab, or an in-person assessment.

Cool fluids and soft foods can ease a sore throat. They do not replace prescribed treatment.

School, creche, and work

Stay at home until all of these are true:

  • The high temperature has gone on its own, and a comfort product has not kept it down
  • The other symptoms have gone
  • At least 24 hours have passed since the first dose of the treatment prescribed specifically for scarlet fever

A comfort product does not start that clock. Confirm the return day with your GP. Creche and work use the same rule.

The HSE says the illness often lasts around one week. That is not clearance for school.

You can pass scarlet fever on from up to 6 days before symptoms start. If it is not treated, the HSE says you can keep passing it on for 2 to 3 weeks after symptoms start. That is not permission to wait. Contact a GP if you suspect it.

Hands, tissues, and shared items

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use a tissue for a cough or a sneeze, and bin it quickly. Do not share cups, cutlery, towels, or bedding with someone who has scarlet fever symptoms.

If you are not in the urgent or emergency groups

Phone and video visits are described on services. The steps are on how it works. Check pricing before you pay. For a general phone or video visit, use book an appointment and pick Online Consultation. A booking does not diagnose scarlet fever, and it does not replace an in-person GP assessment. It is not the route for a child who needs their own GP or GP out of hours now.

A sick cert is a separate decision. The GP issues one only when it is clinically appropriate. See sick cert online in Ireland. Some Illness Benefit and employer forms may still need your registered GP.

WhatsApp +353 899805438, email [bookmydoc.ie@gmail.com](mailto:bookmydoc.ie@gmail.com), or contact. Facebook is bookmydoc.ireland.

Frequently asked questions

What are scarlet fever symptoms?

A fever of 38°C or higher, a sore throat, and swollen neck glands can come first. A sandpaper rash often follows 12 to 48 hours later, from the chest and tummy. A white coating on the tongue may peel, leaving it red, swollen, and bumpy. These are possibilities, not a home diagnosis. Most sore throats and fevers are not scarlet fever. Contact a GP if you suspect it.

What does the rash look like on brown or black skin?

The HSE says it is small raised bumps and feels like sandpaper. On white skin it looks pink or red. On brown or black skin it is harder to see, but you can still feel it. Cheek redness is harder to see too. Feeling it does not confirm scarlet fever.

Can adults get scarlet fever?

Yes. It mostly affects young children and is less common in adults. The HSE says the symptoms are the same. Contact a GP. Do not wait for the rash.

When should I contact a GP about scarlet fever?

Contact a GP if you have these symptoms, if you feel unwell after contact with someone who has scarlet fever, if you also have chickenpox, or if you are ill again weeks later. Phone before you attend. The HSE says the GP may suggest a phone consultation. If a child is drinking much less, has a dry nappy, or has a high fever, contact their own GP or GP out of hours now. Do not wait for a later online slot. Call 112 or 999, or go to the emergency department, for the emergency signs. Do not use a booking for those.

How long should a child stay off school with scarlet fever?

Stay home until the high temperature has gone on its own and a comfort product has not kept it down, the other symptoms have gone, and at least 24 hours have passed since the first dose of the treatment prescribed specifically for scarlet fever. A comfort product does not start that clock. About one week of illness is not clearance. Confirm the return day with your GP. Creche and work use the same rule.

How long is scarlet fever contagious?

The HSE says spread can start up to 6 days before symptoms. Without prescribed treatment it can continue for 2 to 3 weeks after symptoms start. That is not permission to wait. Contact a GP if you suspect scarlet fever. After the treatment prescribed specifically for this infection starts, use the school rule before going back.

Can an online GP diagnose scarlet fever?

No. An online conversation does not guarantee a diagnosis or treatment. It cannot replace an examination, a throat swab, or an in-person assessment the GP may need. Emergency signs need 112, 999, or an emergency department. A child with urgent signs needs their own GP or GP out of hours now.

This article is general information for patients in Ireland. It isn't personal medical advice. For urgent or life-threatening symptoms, contact emergency services or the nearest emergency department. Keep your registered GP for ongoing care.