One of our Year 12 students was admitted to hospital yesterday and has been diagnosed with viral meningitis. Viral meningitis is the most common and least severe type of meningitis and almost all patients recover without permanent damage, although full recovery might sometimes take many weeks. We have decided to take the precaution of notifying families so that if your student becomes unwell over the next few days you are aware that they may have come into contact with viral meningitis and monitor them accordingly.
Viral meningitis is not easy to recognise in the early stages and the symptoms can be similar to those of the common flu. The main symptoms to look out for are fever, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, sensitivity to light, and drowsiness. The signs and symptoms do not appear in a definite order and some may not appear at all.
We wish you all a happy, healthy holiday, but encourage you to keep a special eye on your young person and take them straight to the doctor if they show any of the symptoms above. If you have any questions or concerns about meningitis, please contact your doctor or call Healthline free on 0800 611 116 for advice.
The Healthline Website Can also be found here.