Parents At Deerfield Park Elementary Warned Of Bacterial Meningitis Case
DEERFIELD BEACH (CBSMiami) - Some families kept their children home from school Wednesday at Deerfield Park Elementary in Deerfield Beach after the school sent home a letter on Tuesday, telling them that there was a reported case of Bacterial Meningitis.
Fears over the contagious disease, which can be deadly, led Cassandra Moye to keep her six grandchildren out of school on Wednesday.
"We're not talking about a runny nose or paper cut. We're talking about a bacteria that can be fatal," Moye told CBS 4.
"We gotta step up to the plate for the safety of these kids," she said urging parents to make sure their kids wash their hands often.
Moye took the extra step of making sure some of her grandchildren were seen by a doctor on Wednesday. Thankfully she says they are all healthy.
But Moye wasn't the only parent concerned at the school.
"I felt like I wanted to keep her out today but I didn't," parent Jesse Williams said about his second grader at Deerfield Park.
He said that he is confident that the school is doing all they can to take care of the situation.
Bacterial meningitis symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and later sensitivity to light and confusion. It is spread through coughing, sneezing, kissing and sharing drinking glasses.
"Bacterial meningitis is an infection that can affect the brain, and it is caused by a couple of different bacteria," said Broward Health Emergency Room Pediatrician Dr. Francis Amador.
Amador said that if your child gets sick, you have to be vigilant.
"If the kid is not acting right and there is a serious fever, it would be best to see your doctor or come to the ER to be checked."
