Possible Meningitis...

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

We just received word today that a student in our elementary school is in the local Children's Hospital with possible meningitis. They did a spinal tap last night but won't know the results until tomorrow. He has all the symptoms though.

My question is this---he was with his football team at games on Saturday...he began showing symptoms Sunday evening....IF it is meningitis, I'm assuming the parents of the other boys need to be notified, right?? What about his classmates? How would we, as a school, handle this?

[bergren]

Is he in the ICU? Is it bacterial or viral? You should not have to wait to find that out, if the fluid was clear, then it is likely viral, cloudy, then bacterial. If it is bacterial, the hospital would report to the health department and would guide you re: protocol for others who were exposed. What does your district P & P say? Do you have a school nurse supervisor? Is there a state guideline or a state school nurse consultant to contact? Are they suspecting meningicoccal? Have you spoken to the hospital?

It sounds like you have much too little information to go on and if it was a situation that you would need to do something, you would have been contacted by the health department by now.

National Association of School Nurses has a promotion right now to get more teens vaccinated against menigicoccal meningitis, Voice of Mennigitis: http://www.nasn.org/Default.aspx?tabid=649

Very important to get the seniors vaccinated prior to college.

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

I don't know all the details, the Mom said they did the spinal tap last night and were told nothing, other than the results would be available in two days. I haven't contacted anyone else in our district yet, because I don't want to cause a panic if the results are negative. His teacher knows about the situation and she's aware of what to look for in her students.

[Jolie, BSN]

Your local health department will provide you with guidance.

We had a few episodes of reportable diseases in our schools last year, and the health department took the lead in providing us with information, printed letters to send home, contact names and numbers for questions, etc.

Their knowledge base, willingness to teach and organizational skills were amazing.

[mustlovepoodles, RN]

I don't know all the details, the Mom said they did the spinal tap last night and were told nothing, other than the results would be available in two days. I haven't contacted anyone else in our district yet, because I don't want to cause a panic if the results are negative. His teacher knows about the situation and she's aware of what to look for in her students.

Yeah, I wouldn't say anything to the parents until you know what you're dealing with. They're going to panic no matter what you say. You can call the Health Dept for guidance, or look at the CDC website(cdc.gov). DOes your school district have a policy in place for notifying parents of a health problem at school? I know at my school I'm not allowed to send out ANYTHING unless the principal approves it. Last year we had a kid with Hep A who was diagnosed and went back to school for 6 days before we knew about it. The family never told us, the Health Dept did! Someone higher up than me did a little research and found some material for parents, which my principal sent out the next day. But she had to run it by *her* supervisor first.

[Jolie, BSN]

School personnel tend to panic as well. I had a principal last year who wanted to send out a school-wide robo call over a single case of head lice. It took me awhile to talk her down off the ledge. In all fairness, I understand that parents can be brutal, and she would be the one taking the brunt of those angry phone calls, not me. So it's important for us to present objective, evidence-based information that is in line with prevailing public health practices.

That was one benefit of working with the local health department. As long as we followed their recommendations, they were willing to answer concerns and criticisms of parents and community members. We weren't obligated to follow their recommendations or use their information, but as long as we did, they provided us with back-up. And while I have a basic understanding of public health principals, I don't hold a candle to their experience and knowledge base, especially on specific communicable diseases, and neither does anyone else in the district.

[LACA, BSN, LPN, RN]

Well, Mom just called me back earlier today and the little boy was discharged from the hospital today with a diagnosis of viral meningitis. So, no need to worry--whew! As CRAZY as it's been around here this week, I'm super glad to hear that!!

I was telling the principal what the mom said and he said "Good, no need to worry anyone!" and I said "Well, when he comes back next week, he's probably going to tell everyone he had meningitis...and you know how people worry." and he laughed and said "But, we can handle that NEXT week!" :rotfl: