- Distinguishing a benign cause of fever and rash from a potentially life-threatening one (is of utmost importance but may be difficult) Serious bacterial illness tends to progress quickly, becoming fulminant in hours
- In an immunocompromised child, however, even “mild” infections can be serious, and these children typically receive empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics.
Suggestive serious problems:
- An ill-appearing febrile child
- A progressive petechial or purpuric rash or diffuse erythema (erythroderma)
Mx: Laboratory studies are drawn, and intravenous targeted antibiotic therapy is quickly initiated.