The measles rash begins on the face and spreads cephalocaudally. Which option correctly states this description?

The measles rash begins on the face and spreads cephalocaudally. Which option correctly states this description?

• A. Rash begins on the face and spreads cephalocaudally.
• B. Rash begins on the trunk and spreads outward.
• C. Rash begins on the hands and feet.
• D. Rash begins on the scalp.

Answer: (A)

The key idea is the downward, head-to-toe spread pattern of the measles rash. In measles, the rash typically starts on the face (often near the hairline or behind the ears) and then moves downward to the neck, trunk, and finally the extremities. That cephalocaudal progression is what makes the description about beginning on the face and spreading downward the best match. Koplik spots on the mucosa may appear before the rash, and the rash itself is a maculopapular, blanching eruption that coalesces as it spreads. The other patterns—starting on the trunk, starting on the hands and feet, or starting on the scalp—do not reflect the classic measles eruption sequence.

The key idea is the downward, head-to-toe spread pattern of the measles rash. In measles, the rash typically starts on the face (often near the hairline or behind the ears) and then moves downward to the neck, trunk, and finally the extremities. That cephalocaudal progression is what makes the description about beginning on the face and spreading downward the best match.

Koplik spots on the mucosa may appear before the rash, and the rash itself is a maculopapular, blanching eruption that coalesces as it spreads. The other patterns—starting on the trunk, starting on the hands and feet, or starting on the scalp—do not reflect the classic measles eruption sequence.