SPRING, Texas — A clinic in Spring is warning patients and other visitors they may have been exposed to bacterial meningitis.
The Express Family Clinic at 610 Rayford Road said anyone who was there between 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Monday, December 30 could be at risk.
A pediatric patient who was treated at the clinic during those hours later died from what is believed to be bacterial meningitis, according to the clinic.
The Montgomery County Public Health District said lab results are pending but confirmed 5-year-old Myles Cheatham's probable cause of death was bacterial meningitis, which can be contagious.
Myles Cheatham had just turned 5 and was looking forward to his first year in kindergarten, a family friend said on a gofundme page.
Mom Jenny Cheatham described her son as a "fun, energetic little boy."
"He was a character. He thought he was a cowboy, ninja and zombie killer," Jenny told KHOU 11 News reporter Lauren Talarico.
She said Myles had a fever and stomach ache on Sunday but she thought it was a stomach bug that had made its way around the family before Christmas.
It was early Monday morning, when her son's condition began to deteriorate. His fever spiked and he was having a hard time walking so she took him to the clinic.
When they got there, Jenny said Myles was agitated and complained his head and neck hurt.
Myles told his mom he was scared and didn't want to die. While he was being examined, his heart stopped so he was rushed to Texas Children's Hospital in Montgomery County. Despite 90 minutes of CPR at the clinic, in the ambulance and at TCH, Myles never regained a pulse.
The most common symptoms of bacterial meningitis are high fever, headache, and stiff neck.
"However, these are not the only symptoms and the infection can present differently in each patient," the clinic warned. "Only individuals who had close personal contact with the infected patient need to be treated."
Anyone with symptoms who was at the clinic late Monday morning should call their doctor or go to their local emergency room.
The risk of being infected can be lowered by taking preventive antibiotics.
This is the full statement from Express Family Clinic:
On December 30th, 2019, at Express Family Clinic located in Spring, TX, we had a suspected case of bacterial meningitis in a pediatric patient, which was later confirmed by the local health department. If you were in our clinic between the hours of 9:30 - 10:30 AM on December 30, 2019 and feel that any of the symptoms described below apply to you, please call our office at (281) 742-0624 during regular business hours or visit your local emergency room.
The most common symptoms of bacterial meningitis are high fever, headache, and stiff neck. However, these are not the only symptoms and the infection can present differently in each patient. Bacterial Meningitis can be spread to others, however, the risk of being infected can be lowered by taking preventive antibiotics. Only individuals who had close personal contact with the infected patient need to be treated. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact our office.
We ask that you lift this family up in prayer during this very difficult time.
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