<p>Maybe I am naive but like this young woman’s parents, I thought my immunized college student was fully protected from bacterial meningitis. Apparently if the vaccine is effective, there are still strains that it is not effective against. And for some people the vaccine simply doesn’t work at all. I am so sad for this family. They did everything right. She even came home when she wasn’t feeling well and they took her to the hospital when she woke up with massive headache.</p>
<p>I thought my boys were protected as well. I sent them both a copy of the article and told them to pay particular attention to the symptoms. Many are flu-like, and I can just see them trying to tough it out. It’s very sad.</p>
<p>We were told that the vaccine wouldn’t protect D from ALL stains of Bacterial Meningitis, only the most common ones. But I think My Sweet Babboo has a good idea about sending her kids a copy of this story. I think I’ll talk to my D about the signs and symptoms of bacterial meningitis when she arrives home for Fall Break this weekend. I want her to be fully aware of the dangers, and know to take quick and decisive action should she, or one of her friends exhibits troubling symptoms.</p>
<p>Instead of just going over meningitis symptoms with your kids, go over all serious symptoms. Not all students have a good grasp on what is serious and what is potentially serious versus what is more likely mundane. Discuss when one should wait a few days to get better, go to the student health center, call the nurse/doctor on call at night, go to the ER, or call 911. Go over what will happen in a hospital or emergency room, how to handle insurance information, etc.</p>
<p>A friend of my son was recently hospitalized with a MRSA infection. The infection had been contracted during orthapedic surgery two or three weeks prior. The infection was apparently actually in the bone. When the surgical site became hot, swollen, throbbing etc he waited overnight because the college health center was closed. The health center took one look, called 911 for transport to the hospital. The hospital called his mother (who lives outside the US) and told her to get there ASAP because her son had a <strong><em>life threatening</em></strong> infection.</p>
<p>There is good news – although he had a second surgery by a top ortho guy in the college town, and he will lose his fall sports season, and he may require a bone graft – he will not lose his hand, and he will not lose his life. </p>
<p>The moral to this story is know what consititutes needing to get help and when not to wait. ERs and 911 are there for a reason!</p>
<p>My athlete S was just hospitalized for MRSA while at school a few weeks ago. Very common amongst college sports teams, easily spread, and VERY SERIOUS, although not many kids know much if anything about it. The team docs had a lot of experience with previously-treated cases, recognized the symptoms, and admitted him immediately.</p>
<p>PLEASE! Remind them that handwashing is the best defense in fighting infectious disease!! Nail biters, stop! Don’t touch your eyes or nose either if you have not washed your hands.
GoBlueAlum, People are all freaked out about bird flu. Super staph bugs are HERE. Take good care of your son.</p>
<p>Thanks Sarahsmom. I spent the better part of the week with him while he was in the hospital and a few days after discharge. After he was switched over from IV to oral antibiotics, one of which triggered an allergic reaction, it took him a good couple of weeks to feel like he was back on track. Even though it was caught early, it’s a wicked infection and very scary.</p>
<p>Yes, fendergirl, that’s what makes MRSA so scary, the resistance to antibiotics and having to wait for culture results to see which meds are sensitive to the particular bacterial strain.</p>
<p>Bless you GoBlueAlum! Nothing worse than that feeling helpless as one sits with a loved one in a hospital. When you feel like ‘talking’ would you share with us about his symptoms/circumstances? </p>
<p>MRSA symptoms that I have read about: Wound with boil-like appearance, red, swollen, painful, may be pus-filled and warm to the touch; may resemble a spider bite; may be accompanied by a high fever, chills, etc. Did your S have these symptoms? Any other symptoms? I know this is a very ‘fickle’ infection.</p>
<p>As has been suggested, these are things to review with our Ss/Ds. I’m wondering what other symptoms would be on such list compiled by CC?</p>
<p>Beil, as far as MRSA, kind of starts looking like a bug bite and then gets bigger… you get the feeling like it’s going to ‘burst’. Fever, extreme pain. spreads quickly (if you notice any kind of red rash around it or anything like that it can lead to other infections). Very red and swollen area. Lots of pus inside - when you go to the hospital they have to lance it and drain the wound. They then pack it and keep it open (complete oppisate of stitches) because it can’t be allowed to close until the infection is under control… which takes some time. There are only certain antibiotics that can fight it - most of which look like giant horse pills. My boyfriend had to get prescription soap to use on it while healing for over a month.</p>
I did a quick search online for emergency symptoms (symptoms that would warrant an ER trip, basically). Each list was slightly different due to level of detail, combination of items, and such, but there is a general consensus. I decided to post a more extensive and detailed list than many websites did because I figured it would be more helpful. Obviously use your own judgment; feeling faint while standing isn’t a medical emergency, nor is temporary shortness of breath after running. If any of the doctors or medical professionals on CC read this thread, feel free to add or qualify this list. </p>
<ul>
<li>Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing</li>
<li>Fainting, sudden dizziness, severe weakness</li>
<li>Uncontrollable or persistent vomiting or diarrhea </li>
<li>Coughing or vomiting blood</li>
<li>Rectal bleeding or bloody diarrhea </li>
<li>Uncontrollable bleeding (including nose bleeds); bleeding with weakness</li>
<li>Vision changes, including sudden blindness</li>
<li>Slurred speech</li>
<li>Confusion</li>
<li>Pain or pressure in the chest or upper abdomen</li>
<li>Unfamiliar, severe, and/or persistent abdominal pain </li>
<li>Excruciating headache, “worst headache of my life”</li>
<li>Other sudden or severe pain</li>
<li>Suspected broken bone or a bone that breaks the surface of the skin</li>
<li>Choking; apparently many people wait too long to call 911 when somebody’s choking </li>
<li>Anaphylaxis, even after using an epi-pen</li>
<li>Suspected drug overdose</li>
<li>Severe burns</li>
<li>Suicidal feelings or idealization </li>
<li>Other problems involving breathing, bleeding, the brain, or the heart</li>
<li>Any other time you feel there may be a medical emergency</li>
</ul>
<p>EDIT: No list mentioned this, but I am going to add that all rape victims should go to the ER or other clinic. This is a situation that is more likely to come up for most college students than a heart attack or stroke. Call a friend, and then call your RA, the dean on call, or whoever it is you’re supposed to contact, and get checked out.</p>
<p>Beil, yes, those are the primary symptoms. My S had a small scab break open during his first football game of the season and the team docs think the staph entered the wound then, from skin-to-skin contact. Just one day after the game, he developed a boil next to the scab that the doc lanced and drained. He was put on antibiotics and they thought it could be controlled since it was caught early, but it already had entered his bloodstream. A systemic infection can take hold very quickly. He woke up in the middle of the night with a fever, chills, headache, dizziness, exhaustion, bloodshot eyes, and his whole body felt assaulted. He went to see his trainer at early morning workout who took him straight to the ER per the doc’s instructions. I got the call he was being admitted and raced over there. Thankfully, his school is just over a 2-hour drive from our home.</p>
<p>These infections are very easily spread to others which now really worries me since most kids aren’t under the close supervision of athletic trainers and team doctors. Their expertise from having treated MRSA and their quick response certainly prevented a bad situation from spiraling out of control. It’s so easily spread that hospital personnel had to gown up and rubber glove themselves each time they came into his room. The college custodial staff was instructed to do a complete wipe down of his dorm suite and bath, and athletic personnel did a complete wipe down of the training equipment and fieldhouse. These staph strains can be picked up from any surface, not just from skin-to-skin contact.</p>
<p>Fendergirl’s description of treating the boil with packing material and washing with special antibacterial soap is accurate. S has been seen almost daily by the team docs who change the dressing and have been monitoring the healing. S just completed his course of oral meds this week and has been cleared by the docs after this month-long ordeal.</p>
<p>MRSA is making the rounds in our high schools as well. Last year, it was football and wrestling. None of the kids had been hospitalized or had surgery prior to the infection. They were community acquired, and in some locker rooms there were mini-epidemics. Coachs and teams were brought together to go over basics of hand washing, showering, appropriate handling of uniforms, and how kids with any pustular infection COULD NOT PLAY/COMPETE until their infection was evaluated and treated. It cut down on cases dramatically.</p>
<p>GoBlueAlumMom, SO glad your son is doing better! Here’s hoping all health care providers are as proactive as those who cared for your S. Time is so important! Thanks for sharing details—your insight and experience benefit all of us!</p>