Meningitis going round!

[miraclemomma]

Hi everyone,
I've just heard the devastating news that a 4 year old little girl in my town has died of Meningitis C and another little girl is seriously ill will it. Obviously I can't imagine what the parents are going through and its made me a little panicky!

My 2 year old, who goes to a nursery in town, has been immunised against it but I have an 8 week old baby who doesn't get immunised until 12 weeks! I'm feeling a little paranoid about the whole thing and wondered if anyone knew anything about how contagious it is and if I should avoid taking the kids out and about over the next couple of weeks?!

TIA x

 

[Cattia]

https://www.webmd.boots.com/children/guide/meningitis-is-it-contagious

Hopefully this should help.

 

[_Meep_]

I would definitely just stay in. It's a small amount of life in the grand scheme of things ... it's a hideous disease and I can't imagine what I would do if my baby girl got it. Best to be safe in my opinion. I would never forgive myself.

 

[LoraLoo]

It's not something that lives in the air. You have to have very close contact to catch it. Your Lo won't be at any greater risk than usual, going out and about.x

 

[Septie]

You are soooo lucky to be able to get meningitis vaccines!! Here in the US they haven't even approved the B vaccine for young kids, and the meningitis C vaccine - well our pediatrician, on recommendation of the health organization, only gives it to immune-compromised kids like those without a spleen...We'd even be willing to pay out of pocket

 

[miraclemomma]

B vaccine has only been introduced this year but C has been around for a while now. It's crazy how different countries do things. I'm erring on the side of caution and have spoken to our health visitor, a nurse and a dr who have said any person who may have been in contact with the poorly little girls have been given a treatment dose of antibiotics to be on the safe side so it should have been stopped in its tracks. Can't imagine what the families are going through! Have definitely spent time giving my boys extra hugs this weekend xx