To wonder what this illness is

[katiestar]

We have a fairly small village school.60 children and 3 classes.Yesterday evening/night (ie Saturday) very many of the children have started with vomitting and diarrhoea.I think for so many children from all 3 classes to start at the same time seems odd.Some children have school dinners and some packed lunches.The only thing they all share is the same water cooler and on Monday last week all had some home baking (but I would have thought that would be too long for that to be the cause) Nobody seems to have had any similar illness last week.

S&D goes through schools like wild fire. However I would be suspicious.

any fever? is the diarhoea just runny? tummy cramps?

No, a bit warmer than usual perhaps but not hot enough to be official gever.Watery diarrhoea in DS's case but not examined the leaving of kids in other families {wink}

are they drowsy?

leg cramps?

Bad stomach pains .Difficult to say about drowsy as the mums I have spoken to have been up with them all night so I think everyone is a bit knackered but no more than you would expect.

Am sure Environmental Health will investigate particularly with regards the water cooler. It may also be that the school lunches could be the cause with the bug spreading rapidly to all the kids.

To be honest, with a high percentage of the children ill with this, I really do think that you need to contact the Health Protection Agency. These symptoms are similar to a number of conditions, Ecoli being one of them and it's not normal to have a high percentage of children ill with the same condition at the same time.
So sorry. I do strongly suggest that you get in touch with someone ASAP. I hope I'm wrong but it does need investigating. I hope they are all OK.

"What are the symptoms of E. coli infection?
Symptoms start about 7 days after you are infected with the germ. The first sign is severe abdominal cramps that start suddenly. After a few hours, watery diarrhea starts. The diarrhea causes your body to lose fluids and electrolytes (dehydration). This makes you feel sick and tired. The watery diarrhea lasts for about a day. Then the diarrhea changes to bright red bloody stools. The infection makes sores in your intestines, so the stools become bloody. Bloody diarrhea lasts for 2 to 5 days. You might have 10 or more bowel movements a day. Some people say their stools are "all blood and no stool."

You may have a mild fever or no fever. You may also have nausea or vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms watery, bloody diarrhea, cramps, fever, nausea or vomiting try to get to your doctor right away." (pinched from familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/242.html#ArticleParsysMiddle Column0005)

Here:
Health Protection Agency

Centre for Infections
61 Colindale Avenue
London
NW9 5EQ

Tel: 020 8200 4400
Fax:020 8200 7868
Email: [email protected]

My DS has no leg pains.Do you think the school will automatically report it to environmental health?the head teacher is a bit dopey ? I might ring up my friend who is head of school nurses etc in the area to ask her to make the school nurse for our school aware

I doubt it. Give your friend a call though, she'll know the right procedure.