Chicago: Suburban high school football player has meningitis

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Source: http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/08/suburban-high-school-football-player-has-meningitis.html

Suburban high school football player has meningitis
August 28, 2009 6:21 PM | No Comments

A football player on Riverside-Brookfield High School's team has been diagnosed with viral meningitis, the school said today in a letter to parents.

The student is receiving treatment for the virus, which causes an inflammation of the coating on the brain and spinal cord. Viral meningitis is considered more common and less serious than bacterial meningitis, the statement said.

The statement provided no information on how the student was infected.

--Andrew L. Wang

 

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Re: Chicago: Suburban high school football player has meningitis

Source: http://www.rblandmark.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=5312&TM=58686.53

8/28/2009 3:15:00 PM
Two RB football players sidelined with meningitis

By BOB SKOLNIK
Contributing Reporter

Web Extra!

Two Riverside-Brookfield High School varsity football players have come down with viral meningitis and will miss tonight's season opening football game with Metamora, RB Interim Superintendent David Bonnette said today.

The two players, who both play defense, came down with the illness this week. One case was officially confirmed today. While the other case has yet to be officially confirmed, Bonnette said that it appears that both players have the same illness.

One player was diagnosed and treated today at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood, but was apparently not admitted to the hospital, according to Bonnette.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spiral cord, according to a letter to RB parents posted on the high school's Web site.

Viral meningitis is less severe than bacterial meningitis and usually subsides in a few days to a week, according to the letter, which was written by the Cook County Department of Public Health, according to Bonnette.

Parents were also informed of the news by RB's new Skylert telephone notification system.

Viral meningitis, also called aseptic meningitis, is spread by viruses and is sometimes is caused by bites from infected mosquitoes.

Treatment generally consists of reducing the fever and giving the ill person plenty of liquids. Children should not be given aspirin.

Symptoms generally include fever, headache, stiff neck, lack of appetite, nausea and vomiting.

For more information see the letter posted on the high school's Web site at www.rbhs.w-cook.k12.il.us.

 

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Re: Chicago: Suburban high school football player has meningitis

Source: http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/indianheadpark/news/x1991352431/Viral-meningitis-cases-confirmed-at-RB


UPDATED: Two viral meningitis cases confirmed at RB

By Laura Bollin, lbollin@mysuburbanlife.com
Brookfield Suburban Life
Tue Sep 01, 2009, 12:15 PM CDT

Two Riverside Brookfield High School varsity football players have confirmed cases of viral meningitis.

The first day of school at RB is Tuesday, Sept. 8. The school is not planning on taking any further precautions at this time, but will monitor the situation on a day to day basis.

The players are receiving medical treatment, according to the school. David Bonnette, the school?s interim superintendent, spoke to one of the student?s fathers on Friday, and he reported the student was doing better. Names and ages of the students were not released, but both are upperclassmen at the school.

Viral meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord, and can result from insect bites. Symptoms of viral meningitis include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea and vomiting.

On Friday, after receiving approval from the Illinois Health Department, Bonnette sent out a message through the school?s Skylert telephone alert system.

?It was a recorded message that contacted 1,500 families in approximately eight minutes,? Bonnette said. ?Every parent in our system, through their home phone or cell phone, received a message that told them about the situation and told them to go to the health department for more information on treatment and symptoms.?

In addition to contacting all RBHS parents, the school also notified neighboring school districts Komarek School District 94, Brookfield-La Grange Park School District 95 and Riverside Public School District 96.

The school took other precautions with the football team, but did not have all other players tested for viral meningitis.

?Last year, there were only 600 reported cases of viral meningitis in the whole state, according to the health department,? Bonnette said. ?It?s not the kind of thing where you go out and test everybody. You alert students and parents so that they are aware of the symptoms, and if their child displays those symptoms, then they need to seek medical attention. It?s not that common.?

The health department allowed RBHS to proceed with Friday?s football game, but special steps were taken for the health of the players.

Otto Zeman, the school?s athletic director, issued a directive that water bottles could not be shared at the game. Instead, disposable cups were used, and discarded of after each use.

?We sanitized the locker rooms,? Zeman said. ?We have new mouthpieces, threw out the water bottles, just stuff to make sure we minimize the contact between the kids. The two kids that have it right now are doing fine, so far we?re doing OK.?

School officials are advising parents not to send their children to school if they are not feeling well.

They also offered health tips for students, including covering their mouths when coughing or sneezing, not sharing glasses or straws, and washing their hands frequently.

For more information on viral meningitis, visit the state health department?s Web site at idph.state.il.us.