<p>Cleveland - that's a tragedy. Condolences to the family and sympathies to you, also.</p>
<p>I want to echo Coureur's warning about the vaccine not protecting against all strains of Meningo. The bacteria most likely to cause meningitis in young adults are covered in the vaccine, but good hygiene/handwashing should be emphasized anyway (maybe they'll miss mono). I'm putting together a short list of Mom's advice for my daughter - when to go to the health clinic, what is an emergency, etc.
Under what is an emergency - fever with a rash is an emergency, period. There are still a few minor illnesses young adults could develop that present with fever and a rash, but I want my child seen if she has those symptoms, and I want her to take her roommate in as well.</p>
<p>Cleveland, my heart goes out to the family of the boy and to all of you in that community. The death of a child is unfathomable to us all. </p>
<p>After reading CC two years ago, and this topic came up (they all come back up if ya stay long enough!), I got my older D the meningitus shot and will do so for the next one going to college. This forum is a very informative resource. There were MANY stories on here of deaths of college students or of people posters knew....</p>
<p>Thumper, Angst is sending her D for three weeks to the theater camp that my D has attended for 8 years....Stagedoor Manor. Her D will not be there at the same time as my D, however.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Oh Cleveland..how incredibly sad. Have other children in the area contacted it also...I am so sorry.</p>
<p>It seems like the shot should be in HS.</p>
<p>Susan we still have not gotten the packet from SDM ..so I am not sure what she needs in the way of a health report but I made an appointment for the shot for next week.</p>
<p>No, no one else contracted it, thank G-d!</p>
<p>Cleveland, that is just a heart-breaking story. How incredibly sad. I took my D to the doctor the other day for a sinus infection and while there, I made her appointment for her checkup next month. I told the doctor she will be going away for six weeks this summer and will be in a dorm situation, so we want her to have the meningitis vaccine. Her doctor told me that they are in the process of ordering the new vaccine, Menactra, because it will last longer than the current vaccine, Menomune. According to her, if we are able to get this vaccine, it should cover D from now through college as it supposedly protects for at least six years. The old vaccine, Menomune, lasts three to five years. I really do want D to have the vaccine before her summer program, so I hope the new one comes in before then.</p>
<p>Cangel -- I hope this isn't an imposition, but do you think you could post your list of Mom's advice about medical issues here? Having watched a Nova (I think!) special about meningococcal disease, I arranged with our pediatrician for our 2 sons to receive the new vaccine, called Menactra, at their physicals this summer. Here is a link to some info about it --<a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=13890#">http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=13890#</a>. I actually videotaped the special, and had older son and his friend watch it (at least as much as they would). The issue of rashes associated with a fever was an eye-opener for me -- most of the time I would assume it was something they'd get over on their own, or was an allergy of some kind. After watching that special, I developed a new respect for rashes! On a different issue, we actually were shocked when our older son came down with pertussis in sophomore year. I've always been vigilant about vaccines, and didn't realize that the pertussis one didn't last forever.</p>
<p>I will try, if I can get it together, you may not see it until July ;). My daughter was given a book called "The Real Freshman Handbook", it has a pretty good list of diseases and what to do, as well as good advice on staying healthy and on laundry, and classes and lots of stuff. Like a lot of other books, though much of the "medical" advice is arranged by disorder - if you knew you pneumonia, of course you would visit the health center! I'm trying to make her a list based more on symptoms.</p>
<p>Just a few other thoughts on this, the meningiococcal vaccine is a 'given' in my mind....Usually once there is exposure to the disease contacts are treated prophylactically. The problem is that by the time you have diagnosed the meningiococcemia, the patient is so, so critically ill...it is just a horror.</p>
<p>It is worth renewing the tetanus booster if it has been more than a couple of years. Given the situations kids find themselves in, it is not worth the uncertainty of ?has it been more than 5 years? should the need arise.</p>
<p>Also, this age group of kids are in the bubble regarding Chicken Pox...some had it, some were vaccinated. I am not sure about the recommendation but worth talking with a pediatrician about re-vaccinating for Varicella (chicken pox)...and make sure there was a second MMR at about age 15.</p>
<p>I made up a tackle box medical kit(with over the counter medicines of the usual array...) for son#1 with a (laminated) first aid oriented card with a set of "if-then" scenarios- about respiratory, GI and fever symptorms. Beyond that there was the...set of symptoms that were not for self management- shortness of breath, chest pain, any new rashes, right lower abdominal pain, fever of over 101.4, persistent vomiting,signs of dehydration, funny colored anything, red/swollen anything- pretty much fell into this category. </p>
<p>I know a couple of kids who are currently experiencing mono on various college campuses. I think kids need to be reminded to keep their straws, spoons and cups to themselves..and to wash their hands often! Terrible time of the year to be sick.</p>