I am sure everyone has heard of MRSA, it's been in the news alot lately, kids dying and getting sick, etc. I found out last night that one of the girls in my DD's classroom (6th grade) had MRSA, they also play on the same basketball team. The child was sick, then in the hospital, recovered and has now returned to school. The school never sent any note home, never notified anyone that this had happened, I found out from the child's parent. I did call and talk to the principal and they do know about it, they hired extra cleaning crews, also purchased special cleaning solutions for it etc. I talked to the Health Dept. and they said a school is not required to notify parents unless there are several cases in the school. I am thinking that the school should of at least sent home something to parents saying there is a case in our school, blah, blah, go over precautionary measures to help parents and students know how to control it, etc. and what the school is doing about it. Am I being unreasonable? I mean they send home notes about headlice, but not MRSA? I would like people's input/opinions on this? Thanks in advance.

My opinion is that you're over-reacting, but everyone's different. If you want to say something to the school, I say do it.

I understand where you are coming from, and I understand the school's stand on it too. People tend to panic and would probably keep their kids home (the school - if it is public - would lose money). It sounds like the school dealt with it and kept it at bay from the rest of the kids. In this case, I think they put the safely of the kids first. I completely understand where you are coming from, though. I have a child with a chronic illness and MRSA would be something that would put her in a crisis situation. Personally, like you, I would want to know, but again, I see why the school didn't tell.

I wouldnt worry if I was you. I work with tons of people who have MRSA and I do alot of "hands on" care. ( wound care where the wound has tested + for MRSA) and I have never got it. Aint saying I wont, and I sure hope I dont but I think the school did the right thing. No need to freak out everyone and then the kids would probably stay away from the child that had it and kids dont need any reason to start picking or dodging another student. Here, they dont notify unless there is a couple of kids with it.No child wants to be labeled as "different" for any reason.. Its not as easy to catch as some might thing. You KNOW this child had it but you dont know what other children or adults for that matter has it.

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Yes.......

Its not unreasonable to be concerned, this can kill. We had 2 cases in our highschool and my son is a wrestler.. not the cleanest environment for sure. I think your school could have done more to inform and ease parents concerns. this is actually listed on our school web page:


*CA-MRSA (Staph Infections) Information

Staph is a type of bacteria. It may cause skin infections that look like pimples or boils. Skin infections caused by Staph may be red, swollen, painful, or have pus or other drainage. Some Staph (CA-MRSA) are resistant to certain antibiotics, making it harder to treat.

Preventative Measures Include:
1. Wash your hands often, use hand-sanitizer
2. Keep your cuts and scrapes clean and covered with bandages
3. Do not touch other people's cuts or bandages
4. Do not share personal items like towels, razors or sports equipment

Please contact your health care provider or the appropriate school health office if you have any specific questions or concerns.

MRSA RESOURCES

1. District Response to CA-MRSA-Update November 14, 2007

2. District Response to CA-MRSA-Update October 26, 2007

3. District Response to CA-MRSA-Update October 23, 2007

4. District Response to CA-MRSA-Update October 19, 2007

5. Parent Letter - October 17, 2007

6. Community Associated CA-MRSA Brochure - from Department of Health

7. Community Associated CA-MRSA Questions and Answers handout - from Department of Health

8. Hand Washing Instructions from Health Office

9. Handwashing Flyer

10. Additional information is available from :
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
New York State Department of Health

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"Never loan your car to someone you have given birth too"

A few of my thoughts on infection control procedures. Isolation is basically a thing of the past and we now wonder why we have infectious disease(s) outbreaks. So along came universal precautions, however, many health care professionals don't follow it correctly. They sure know when to put a glove on , but not when to take it off !

I believe the school in your case probably walks a fine line with confidentiality concerns. In other words, they are damned if they do, and damned if they don't. Unfortunately, mostly due to concerns of being sued. Sad, isn't it. Your best action is to remain calm and normal about this and encourage all the fundamentals to include no food /drink sharing, washing hands thoroughly, not putting pencils, etc in the mouth etc as reminders for your kids.

dl

People also need to wash hands BEFORE putting gloves on.

Sounds silly until you think about the fact that they have contaminated the outside of the gloves with their germy/dirty hands while putting them on!

Our health codes are posted in the sunday paper and many,many places are cited for not washing before putting the gloves on.

When my dd was in the third grade we had an outbreak of lice in her class. Sadly, the school was not very discreet about protecting the anonymity of the kids that came down with it and as a result, parents weren't notifying the school. Now, we just assume that somebody, somewhere in the school(or anywhere we go) is carrying any multitude of germies and other bad things.

I understand your frustration and sympathise with you, but in this day and age, there is no guarantee that people will disclose this information and the best thing you can do is to teach your children is how to take responsibility in keeping themsleves healthy.

Thanks for all the opinions! I guess I just thought our school would do what other schools (what the national news reported) in other states, like VA, NY, WA, even here in Tulsa (I live in OK) all those students that had MRSA, the schools actually shut down for a day or two and they had to sanitize the entire schools, send home notices to parents, etc this was even schools where the kids DIDN'T die from it. I just kind of expected all schools would do the same, but I guess not.

My 13 yr DD had a child in her school with it, her Best friend's brother had a friend that actually contacted the disease and die within 3 days from it, and my two oldest twins can tell you 3 people in their school that had it.....and nothing from any of those schools (all different schools). They did however clean the school during the weekend, brought extra cleaning crews in etc, but felt like if they said something it would make it worse so they didn't. I was upset at the time but got over it, I see the schools side. D*mn if they do, D*mn if they don't. I haven't heard of it in the last month, now its stept(sp) throat going around

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Prevention taken from MRSA infection: Prevention - MayoClinic.com

Hospitals are fighting back against MRSA infection by using surveillance systems that track bacterial outbreaks and by investing in products such as antibiotic-coated catheters and gloves that release disinfectants.

Still, the best way to prevent the spread of germs is for health care workers to wash their hands frequently, to properly disinfect hospital surfaces and to take other precautions such as wearing a mask when working with people with weakened immune systems.

In the hospital, people who are infected or colonized with MRSA are placed in isolation to prevent the spread of MRSA to other patients and healthcare workers.Visitors and healthcare workers caring for isolated patients may be required to wear protective garments and must follow strict handwashing procedures.

What you can do in the hospital:
Here's what you can do to protect yourself, family members or friends from hospital-acquired infections.

* Ask all hospital staff to wash their hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching you — every time.
* Wash your own hands frequently.
* Make sure that intravenous tubes and catheters are inserted under sterile conditions, for example, the person inserting them wears a mask and sterilizes your skin first.

What you can do in your community:
Protecting yourself from MRSA in your community — which might be just about anywhere — may seem daunting, but these common-sense precautions can help reduce your risk:

* Wash your hands. Careful hand washing remains your best defense against germs. Scrub hands briskly for at least 15 seconds, then dry them with a disposable towel and use another towel to turn off the faucet. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer containing at least 62 percent alcohol for times when you don't have access to soap and water.
* Keep personal items personal. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, sheets, razors, clothing and athletic equipment. MRSA spreads on contaminated objects as well as through direct contact.
* Keep wounds covered. Keep cuts and abrasions clean and covered with sterile, dry bandages until they heal. The pus from infected sores may contain MRSA, and keeping wounds covered will help keep the bacteria from spreading.
* Shower after athletic games or practices. Shower immediately after each game or practice. Use soap and water. Don't share towels.
* Sit out athletic games or practices if you have a concerning infection. If you have a wound that's draining or appears infected — for example is red, swollen, warm to the touch or tender — consider sitting out athletic games or practices until the wound has healed.
* Sanitize linens. If you have a cut or sore, wash towels and bed linens in a washing machine set to the "hot" water setting (with added bleach, if possible) and dry them in a hot dryer. Wash gym and athletic clothes after each wearing.
* Get tested. If you have a skin infection that requires treatment, ask your doctor if you should be tested for MRSA. Doctors may prescribe drugs that aren't effective against antibiotic-resistant staph, which delays treatment and creates more resistant germs. Testing specifically for MRSA may get you the specific antibiotic you need to effectively treat your infection.
* Use antibiotics appropriately. When you're prescribed an antibiotic, take all of the doses, even if the infection is getting better. Don't stop until your doctor tells you to stop. Don't share antibiotics with others or save unfinished antibiotics for another time. Inappropriate use of antibiotics, including not taking all of your prescription and overuse, contributes to resistance. If your infection isn't improving after a few days of taking an antibiotic, contact your doctor.

Another good article that talks about schools and school buses in particular (near the bottom of the article):
MRSA: Understand your risk and how to prevent infection - MayoClinic.com

Don't always blame health care. We screen patients on admission (swab their nose) and most have it before coming to the hospital. If they test positive they are in an isolation room with special precautions for health care workers so it doesn't get spread to others.

Blame people that overuse antibiotics. This is how the mess started in the first place. Next time your nose starts to run and you have a cold, don't beg your doctor for antibiotics.

You can't really freak out about it. I work in a hospital, (Recovery or PACU), where pts. come after surgery, and half the time we will take them back to their rooms, and sure enough, outside of their door sits an Isolation Cart. This means that someone has paraded the pt. thru the hospital, left them sitting in Preop, went to surgery, came out into Recovery (where there can be anywhere from 2-10 other fresh surgery pts) then went back up to their room (in an elevator with visitors, employees, other pts.) the whole while none of us knowing that the pt. was supposed to be on strict isolation from having MRSA. I'm telling you, it is EVERYWHERE. But schools, really no place that I know of, is required to let the public know about any cases. Matter of fact, because of HIPAA, (surely yall have had to sign HIPAA release forms when going to the dr), no one can be told anything because of confidentiality. Unfortunantly I'm sure all this came about because of lawsuits. No one can be informed of anything because that would be breaking confidentiality. It's not right, but that's where we are right now with lawsuits and all.

I don't think you are being unreasonable. You care about your child and do not want any harm to come to them. MRSA is extremely dangerous. My mom almost died from it back in September.

I totally agree with the last part of your comment!

However, my mom was transferred from one hospital to another and the small hospital she came from (where she was in ICU) did not inform or note in her chart that she was MRSA. Sooo, this main hospital in Springfield, MO did not konw that she was MRSA and she was in ICU for over four hours before we were allowed to see her after she was admitted. I noticed there was not any gowns/precautionary measures outside the door, so I asked "Is she still MRSA? Cause I was told by the Ambulance driver she still was" and the nurse looked at me with the biggest eyes I have ever seen "what do you mean, MRSA?"

You can only guess the rest.(they then did a check and guess what? She had the worst kind there is-Shock! Shame on the hospitals for not taking care of each other.)

She had been there for over 4 hours and noone knew or checked anything....so while your hospital does check, many others obviously do not.

We had it bad here at the local HS. It was so bad at one time that the band director cancelled a ftball game (well the band playing the ftball game) because of it. No letter, no news, just spread by word of mouth. Not everything that happens in the schools are we going to find out.. that is why we as parents need to stay involved. Remember that the best line of defense between school and your kids isyou! MSRA is nothing to shake a stick at but it is also nothing that can be totally avoided. I mean you can have a cut on your nail and get it but the nastiest smelliest kid in the class may not get it.. it is not going for 'dirty' and it won't go for clean.. there are precautions and that is what we need to do... precautions.. Believe me the 'bomb threates' that my daughter gets is NEVER in the news around here...so MRSA won't make it..

While we can blame, to some extent, the people who overuse antibiotics, the real blame rests with their attitudes that they know more than the doctor. Everyone now knows more than anyone else. The attitude thing is pathetic. And, by following that theory, the blame is really with the doctors who allow themselves to get beat down by the patient and prescribe something that is not truly the best remedy.

dl

I don't think you are over reacting at all.

Our schools have no problem sending notes home regarding head lice or strep throat outbreaks (which I appreciate). Generally speaking, these are illnesses which can be handled, where as more serious conditions like MRSA can potentially lead to death.

I know some think the schools are 'infringing' upon a child's confidentiality, privacy, etc by notifiying parents. I also know that some think that advising parents will create chaos (& I tend to agree to a certain extent) But for the most part, many parents would be more appreciative to know 'what' is going on, even if precautionary, than to not know at all and have a child suffer/die. Chaos is chaos. Chaos can be created from knowing or not knowing. However, the schools have no problem upon infringing upon me when sending home packets of JUNK to sell such as cookies, candles, Home Interior, wrapping paper, and the like AND make the obscene "REWARDS" to intice the children to partake in the selling. Which tends to lead to small battles between moms & dads with their children. Because in essence, the parents are the ones who end up selling and it's the children who WANT the rewards. My take on all of this is that instead of wasting materials to sell useless junk, they should be directing their attention on preserving the schools greatest asset - - the students! They need to protect them, protect families, simply by sending one sheet of paper home advising parents that there is a potential health hazard in the school such as MRSA, Head Lice, Strep, Etc. INSTEAD of sending mountains of forms, catalogs, etc home for mom and dad to deal with.

That's just my opinion.

True, but the patient holds responsibility on taking what the doctor prescribes. I have said no many many times to a doctor that wanted to give me antibiotics to resolve a virus (for my kids as well).

MRSA has been around for years...when the news has nothing to talk about, they start talking about the super bug. Relax, even though it's a killer, it's also a bug that can be killed easily in young, healthy kids!
I go from school to school hearing nurses talk about how many cases they have heard of in our area and yet...life goes on. Just make sure to instill good handwashing in your children. Preventing infection always starts with hand washing using warm water and soap not just purell (or anti-bacterial gels). Make sure your kids (especially your boys) are washing their hands after using the potty...my husband used to say well, I didn't touch anything...then I say well, you used the same handle I did (sounds disgusting when it's spelled out but let's face it, boys have it better than girls...drip drying is NOT an option...yuck!)! Also, sing "happy birthday" twice then turn off the water!! Drying your hands with paper towel or a hand dryer is also a better way of preventing the spread of infection.

Get back to basics people!

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With the strep outbreak at our school, the kids are being taught to cough into their sleeve or shoulder (vs. into their hand).

Not MRSA but something to think about.