Meningococcal Disease

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Hi - we had a teenage girl come down with viral meningitis last week. She's staying home for a couple of weeks and we've sent out a letter to parents talking about precautions.

Which led me to research more and NASN (National Association Of School Nurses) recently had a radio show about bacterial meningitis. A young lady was interviewed about her experience with the illness and how she ended up with partial amputations of all 4 limbs.

http://schoolnursenet.nasn.org/NASN/NASNRadio

That led me to the organization she talked about which is trying to work with school nurses to get kids immunized. I thought I'd list the websites here for you all.

Do you do any education about this at your schools? Because we haven't. . . . yet.

http://www.multivu.com/players/English/61652-voices-of-meningitis-get-in-the-game/

http://www.voicesofmeningitis.org/protect-your-students-resource.html

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/mening/who-vaccinate-hcp.htm

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Specializes in School Nursing, Public Health, Home Care.

It's required by state law to provide education regarding immunization for meningococcal disease as students enter grade 6. We comply by giving a one page info sheet to parents of incoming 6th graders.

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Specializes in Peds, Oncology.

It is a required immunization in my state to enter 6th grade. I get students from other states a lot and I'm seeing that it's not a requirement in a lot of states.

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A little off topic but...

My dad had Bacterial Men. when I was in 7th grade. Very scary! He is lucky to be alive. He came out with major vision loss (tunnel vision in one eye and then peripheral vision only in the other) and was partially paralyzed in his entire left side. Lot's of therapy. Luckily he regained function, but his eye sight never got any better. He does so well though it's amazing! Almost like he sees just as well as all of us. Although my daughter didn't know and threw a ball at him when he wasn't paying attention and it smacked him in the face. Lol

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Specializes in Pedi.

At the school I worked at (which was partly a boarding school), it was a required immunization for all boarders and strongly recommended for everyone. It's required at all colleges in this area.

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Besides regular childhood vaccinations, the only one required here is Tdap when you go into 7th grade. A new law a couple of years ago that stated you could not walk onto campus without proof of immunization. That was a fun year, trying to get the word out and then check on all the kids.

No requirements for meningitis vac though.

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

NJ requires TDaP & meningitis for those entering 6th grade. My 6th grader tried to decline. Yeah, sometimes I think my son forgets who his mother is....

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Do your 6th graders leave elementary school and become part of middle school? Ours do not -elementary school ends at grade 6.

Every state is different - which really is good. :yes: I just finished "A Wrinkle In Time" with my son and wouldn't want to live on the dark planet of Camazotz and be under mind control.

;)

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Specializes in Pedi.
NJ requires TDaP & meningitis for those entering 6th grade. My 6th grader tried to decline. Yeah, sometimes I think my son forgets who his mother is....

This is OT but I once outsmarted my mother on a vaccine in 6th grade. This was before Hep B vaccinations were routinely given to infants and there was a big push to vaccinate middle schoolers. My school was offering the series to students. I told my mom that I wouldn't get it at school and then she tried to sneak the permission form in anyway. She told me the morning they were starting the first one that I might get called down to get it. I, at eleven, had an absolute meltdown until I asked her how she signed me up. She responded that she put a note in the vision form I was supposed to hand in. HA! I'd never handed that form in and felt victorious. My mom was not happy several months later when she had to make 3 separate trips to my pediatrician which was a 20-30 min ride for me to get the shot...

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Specializes in School nursing.

Required for boarding schools and all college students in my state; I'm chasing after a few kids for TDap, which is required here for those entering 7th. But I am pleasantly surprised at the numbers of students in my school who have received the meningitis vaccine - I'd have to run the numbers, but I'd say at least 50% of my students have had it.

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