FIGHTING SPINAL MENINGITIS Miother warn wee” KATE LOCKE holds | her one-year-old daughter Karlie, who lest her hearing after contracting meningitis. The North Vancouver girl will now have to wear a hearing aid fer the rest of ter life. A recently released vaccine will prevent children between the ages of two and five from contracting the childhood infection, but doctors say the infection ‘5 still a concers of parents of very young children, like Karlie. BURN VICTIM IN SERIOUS CONDITION Family seeks assistance THE FAMILY of 33-year-old Mike Pinette, who suffered extensive burns in a house explasion Monday, scy they would like to return to North Vancouver, a three-bedroom house to rent. Andy Neuman, principal of Ridgeway Elenientary School, said Barb ard Dan Pinette visited the school Friday to answer questions that Mike’s grade seven classmates had about their son, By KIM PEMBERTON News sorter “f think that’s quite important that they want to return to the community,’® said Neuman. ‘Right now they’re staying with te Dinkonnnad and od NEWS ohotos Mike Wakefield but must first find Vancouver recentiy, fond af the community. Neuman said ‘the family, who inoved here from Kelowna in Niarch, doesn’t have timc to hunt ior a house because they want to stay by Mike’s side. they're quite SERIOUS CONDITION The boy is listed in serious con- dition, and is on the intensive care ward at Vancouver General Hospital. He was badly burned in the basement explosion, which the family’s rented duplex at 365 East Fourth Street. “They'd prefer to stay in the Ridgeway area so Lexy (Mike’s sister) can come back to Ridgeway School in the fall,"* said Neuman. He said donations of clothing and furnisure are not required by the family, but many groups in the community have offered to begin a trust fund, “U's untikely that a trust fund will begin until September,"’ said Neuman. “School is almost out now and the parents are not really certain what kind of help is best."" He said the local Shriners are prepared to transport Mike to a Texas burn unit if further medical (reatinent is necessary, but Mike's parents said at the current time all me Weta ee mol edeane. 3 ~ Sunday, June 22, 1986 - North Shore News others infection TWO MONTHS away from her first birthday, Karlie Locke was beginning to say her first words. Her parents were not surprised by Karlie's progress because their youngest daughter had shown her “competitive” spirit in the past. She could walk at nine months and was intent on imitating her two talkative sisters. At ten months of age Karlie knew three words, which included momma, bottle and her own word meaning juice Bul the infant’s progress came to a sudden halt after she was hospitalized with spinal meningitis, the most feared of childhood in- fections, according to doctors. This month the one-year-old was outfitted with a small hearing aid and her parents are learning sign language. ‘You breath a sigh of relief when each one of your children is born perfect,’ said Kate Locke, 26. “| had heard about meningitis, but j didn’t think it would affect my family.’” HEARING LOSS Kate said Karlie’s profound hearing loss happened two weeks after she first took her daughter to Lions Gate Hospital, suffering froin a fever of 103 degrees F. The doctor on duty noted Karlic’s neck was stiff, a symptom of meningitis, and wanted to run blood tests to rule out meningitis, which is very contagious, But Kate said a specialist, brought in to examine Karlie, said the little girl was suffering from an ear infection, and prescribed a small dosage of antibodies. Kate remembers being told Karlie’s flu-like condition would remain for 24 hours. “*E left the hospital feeling really relieved. But the next morning she was worse. She was lethargic, ana when we picked her up she started to arch her back because of the pain.” SPINAL TAP They returned the next day and Karlie was given a spinal tap — the only medical procedure to confirm meningitis. While Kate said she is ungry that her child was mis-diagnosed, she ed by Vancouver General Hospital. QUESTIONS ANSWERED He said the parents spent half an hour answering questions from about 60 of Mike’s sck of friends, when they visited the school to ('-k up Mike's belongings. . “They were very frank and honest and told them the way they knew it. The children seem to be more reassuved that things are go- ing well,"' said Neuman. “(Mike’s parents) ar -aying he’s louking well, and beticr than they expected.” . If anyone knows of a three- bedroom house available for rent they can leave a message for Dan Pinetre at GR0-4477, understands the symptoms for meningitis and ear infections are similar. ' Dr. Andrew Hamson, chief pediatrician at Lions Gate Hospital, said a high fever is a warning sign, but the child would be hot or flushed as opposed to sweaty. He said a stiff neck in an older child is a key sign, and for infant’s their soft spot on the head would be tense and bulging. He added children may get a rash, which would be dark, purplish in color. Hamson said there are about 12 cases a year of meningitis on the North Shore, and 70 per cent of the children who have contracted the bacteria are under the age of two. “*‘Meningitis is the most signifi- cant and difficult infection we deal with in childhood. It’s the one we fear the most.”’ 5% FATAL He noted five per cent of the cases are fatal, 10 per cent cause deafness and brain damage and the other 85 per cent require prolonged hospitalization. But Hamson said a vaccine is now available which would prevent meningitis among children between the ages of two and five. “The new vaccine is exciting because if spares the ones over two and gives partial protection to children 18 months of age in jayeare,’’ he said. Hamson said since the vaccine was released two weeks ago, 60 children in his practice have been vaccinated. The vaccine, although endorsed by the American Association of Pediatrics, is not yet available through standard public health vaccination programs. But Ham- son said parents of young children can request the vaccine, which costs about $11.50, from their family physician, Kate’s five-year-old daughter Sandra and two-year-old daughter Stephanie have both been vac- cinated. “{ think the vaccine is a real breakthrough — it’s going to save a lot of kids,’’ said Kate. Karlie, whose deafness is ir- reversible, would not have benefited from the vaccine, because a small child’s immunity system would not react to the vac- cine. Auto Business ...........36 Classified Ads... Doug Collins........ 8 Editoria) Pagc....... & Fashion........... Bob Hunter......... 4 Lifestyles ... Mailbox............ 7 Sports............. TM. Listings....... Travel.............31 What's Going On...