Coral Reef Parents Get Schooled On Meningitis
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Parents of Coral Reef Senior High students got a lesson on meningitis Sunday morning from staffers with the county's department of health.
This after a senior, 18-year old Christopher Valdes, died Friday after contracting meningitis.
The bacterial meningitis which Valdes died from was not related to the nationwide fungal meningitis outbreak.
"The likelihood of it spreading from a to b and b to c is very unlikely," said Coral Reef Parent Steve Kronen who attended the informational session.
When asked if the information was a relief find out, Kronen responded "oh, very relieving, yes!"
Health officials told the concerned parents that schools are not locations where meningitis is easily transmitted, however they if they are worried they should be on the look out for several symptoms including:
• Fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Stiff neck and a rash
These symptoms may appear two to ten days after an exposure, but more commonly three to four days after exposure. If the child exhibits any of those symptoms, the child should be taken to a doctor immediately.
Students of Coral Reef are expected to return back to school on Monday.
Coral Reef students are urging each other to wear black or UM colors in memory of Valdes.
Students have also designed a t-shirt that they will be selling on campus at $15 each, in order to help the Valdes family with the funeral expenses.
The senior district staff stressed to parents that all necessary measures will be taken Monday morning to safeguard the health of students at the school.
Information regarding the disease and preventive treatment is posted on the school's Web site here.
