Students return to school in wake of classmates meningitis death

<p>Students at Atlantas Jackson Elementary School returned to class Monday still shocked at the death of an 11-year-old classmate from bacterial meningitis.</p><p>Austin Armstrong, a popular, athletic student, became ill with flu-like symptoms after school on Nov. 24 and died a day later.</p><p>Lorraine Reich, principal at the school, said she learned of Austins death on Wednesday.</p><p>She said she organized a telephone tree to notify parents since school was out for the Thanksgiving holiday.</p><p>She also sent home information on what symptoms to look for and what precautions can be taken to avoid bacterial meningitis.</p><p>Everyone is concerned; everyone is aware, but there is no sense of panic here at all, Reich said. Its just an incredibly sad situation for us.</p><p>Bacterial meningitis is more rare and more dangerous than viral meningitis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is fatal nearly 15 percent of the time.</p><p>Both are infections of fluid in the spinal cord and around the brain.</p><p>Some symptoms _ fever, nausea, vomiting and fatigue _ are similar to the flu. But meningitis often includes a stiff neck, a rash and sensitivity to light.</p><p>Counselors were at Jackson Elementary on Monday to talk to students.</p><p>Parent Jennifer Bell said shes talked to her son, Kevin, a fifth-grader who was friends with Austin.</p><p>We just had to tell Kevin that Austin became very sick, very quickly, and he died, Bell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Its just very sad and no one knows why this happened.</p><p>Georgia has had 315 cases meningococcal meningitis _ the bacterial infections most common form _ resulting in 37 deaths in the past five years.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/12/182100