Kids Exposed to Bacterial Meningitis

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Thought you guys might know the answer to my question...A little girl in my 2-yr old's daycare class was careflighted to Children's (Dallas) yesterday afternoon with an "unconfirmed" case of bacterial meningitis. To add to it, my 3-yr old is in the same class with her older brother! GEEZ! So, my husband and I are really freaked out. Is there any way for us to find out if the case has been confirmed or not? What with HIPPA and all, I just wondered if you guys could tell me anything. Would the hospital confirm it or tell me what type of bacteria it is, if any? Or what about the public health department? I know the little girl's mom, but I hate to call her at the hospital and say, "So, I understand sweet little X has meningitis!"

In any case, it's my understanding that the little girl had a red rash all over, fever, convulsing, foaming at the mouth--the whole bit. Please, please, please keep her and her family in your prayers. Today is the little angel's 2nd birthday, oddly enough.

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

That is just awful! Here's what i'd suggest. Ask the school first to see if they have any "inside" info to give you (but they probably won't- it depends on your relationship with them). I'm willing to bet the hospital won't tell you anything- the health department is a better bet. If the hospital and the health department act according to the LAW then you should get a call (if the case is confirmed) saying that your child was exposed to meningitis.

What county do you live in?

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I live in Ellis County, just south of Dallas County. I found out yesterday that they've ruled out meningitis, as well as any other highly contagious serious diseases. It's a weird thing, but last Tuesday, I took my 2 year old to the pediatrician for his 2 year well baby visit and everything was just fine. That evening at around 7:00, his temperature spiked at almost 103 and it happened REALLY fast. He got in trouble for hitting his sister and had to sit in time out. Literally TWO minutes later when I went to get him, his cheeks were bright red and he was burning up with fever. I took his clothes off to put him in the bathtub, and he had red bumps all over. I got his fever down with Motrin and a soak in the tub, and after that, he was fine. He went to daycare the next day without incident. There were never any symptoms other than the fever and rash. The docs at Children's suspect this little girl's temp went up so high and so fast, it caused her to have a seizure. They've ruled out everything else. She may have gone home today, but I'm not sure about that. Is that not the strangest thing? Other kids in the class have gone home with fever in the past week, but that's all...Kind of like with my son. I guess they were all just passing around a strange little bug, and this little girl had a seizure b/c of the high temp. All the other kids in the class seem to be just fine, now.

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Specializes in ICU, CVICU.

What a relief! Whatever bug those kids have I hope it stays in Dallas lol! I would FREAK OUT if my son ever had something like that.

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