Meningitis

Cause/Symptoms: Bacteria or virus. Young children may show a cluster of symptoms such as irritability, poor feeding, vomiting, fever, rash and excessive high-pitched crying. Older children and adults may experience severe persistent headache,

Transmission: Varies depending on cause of meningitis.

Incubation: Varies depending on cause of meningitis.

Period of Communicability: Varies depending on cause of meningitis.

Your child can return to daycare once all the following criteria has been meet:
~ your case as been discussed with Ottawa Public Health.
~ you have a letter from Ottawa Public Health stating it is  safe for your child to be around other children/adults
~ your child is eating and drinking normally
~ your child can participate in all daycare activities
~ 24 hrs after rash is gone
~ once your child is no-longer doing the excessive high-pitched cry.
~Vomiting

• 24 hours from the time the vomit reducing medication (such as, Gravel) are out of your child system (8 to 10 hours after taking last dose) and vomiting has not restarted
  
• 24 hours free of any vomit reducing medication or any other medication that can mask symptoms of illness.
  
• If no medication is given: 24 hours starting one (1) hour after the last time your child vomited.
  

~ Fever

• 24 hours from the time the fever reducing medication are out of your child system (8 to 10 hours after taking last dose) and fever has not returned
• 24 hours free of any fever reducing medication or any other medication that can mask symptoms of illness.
• If no medication is given: 24 hours starting one (1) hour after you discover your child’s fever has broken