Four-year-old girl diagnosed with mumps, now back in school

GLENDALE -- Officials confirm a four-year-old girl was diagnosed with the mumps at Parkway Elementary School in Glendale. But that child has recovered and is now back in class as of Thursday, November 15th.

The student was out sick last week. The school learned on Wednesday, it was a case of the mumps. A letter went home to parents alerting them of the situation.

CLICK HERE to read a letter sent home to parents at Parkway

The girl was part of a 20-child K4 class at Parkway. In all, some 80 students use that same classroom.

The student got the mumps despite being partially vaccinated against the illness. She was due for her second MMR shot later this year.

"Because she has just had the one vaccine, it just makes her a little bit more susceptible," said Lori Kindred, district nurse. "Symptoms may move to the swelling of the cheeks and jaw-line, which would then prompt a parent to be really concerned that mumps might be involved."

School officials say attendance is normal at the school and all the classrooms have gone through their normal sanitation process. A building inspector also visited the building on Thursday and gave his sign of approval.

Now, parents are keeping their eyes open, hoping their kids stay healthy.

"Parents are just making sure we're all on the same page, in that we prevent it from further spreading. I feel the school has everyone in their best interest. We just hope that they got it in time, and they'll take care of it," said Rebecca Steffes.

Mumps is generally passed by coughing or sneezing. The radius of exposure from a cough or sneeze is considered to be about three feet.

"We take every virus at school very seriously. Our school is clean," principal Shannon Kilton said.

Wisconsin has made it easy for parents to find out whether immunizations are up to date in their families. All you have to do is visit the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.