I was saddened by the news last week that a young Lakeland student died from apparent bacterial meningitis. This story breaks my heart because I know this tragedy could have happened to my family.
Im writing to share my story and encourage all parents to protect their children from this preventable disease.
On Mothers Day 2003, my 11-month-old daughter Breanna, whom we call Weeble, wasnt feeling well. She had a runny nose, was sick to her stomach and appeared tired and withdrawn. Thinking she had simply come down with the flu, I called both our local emergency room and Weebles pediatrician to confirm my feeling.
Overnight, Weebles health deteriorated noticeably, and eventually her fever hit 107, and we couldnt wake her up. At that point I decided to drive her to the emergency room, where three unsuccessful spinal taps were performed. She was then transferred to a childrens hospital, where her fever, a stroke and several seizures made the diagnosis apparent to one of the paramedics: My infant daughter had strep b pneumococcal meningitis.
We spent three weeks at the hospital after that initial ambulance ride. One-third of the left side of Weebles brain had significant damage, leaving her with almost constant seizures. Today, 11 years later, my daughter still suffers from an average of four visible seizures a day, along with nonvisible seizures that occur throughout the day. Weeble has endured two brain surgeries in hopes of alleviating these seizures, but the second surgery actually made them worse.
All of these side effects, everything my little baby has suffered through for more than a decade, stem solely from the meningitis an insidious disease spread through close contact with other people, and one that I now know is completely preventable.
Today, 12-year-old Weeble attends school under the close watch of an exceptional teacher whom we have been blessed to connect with during her time in elementary school. However, the meningitis has left Weeble nonverbal, and that makes socializing hard for her. When she ages out of elementary school, she will enter a hospital homebound program because the severity of her seizures makes it impossible for her to attend a regular middle school.
In telling Weebles story, I am not looking for sympathy. I simply want to help other parents protect their children from contracting meningitis. A vaccine that protects against strep b pneumococcal meningitis had been available for two years before Weeble got sick, but I was not aware she was missing this protection.
Today, Weeble and her three sisters are up-to-date on all of their recommended vaccinations. Because school-aged children are particularly vulnerable to meningitis and the ways it spreads, it is so important for them to be protected. The federal government has taken the guesswork out of when to get children vaccinated, producing an online vaccine schedule organized by your childs age range.
Central Florida resident Lori Holland is a Florida team leader for "Meningitis Angels." She actively advocates for the vaccination of all children against this disease.
