As President of the National Meningitis Association and as a mom who lost her son to bacterial meningitis, I often get e-mails and phone calls from parents who are worried that their child may have meningitis.  A couple of weeks ago, a mom e-mailed me, that she thought her 10 year old daughter might have viral meningitis.  I told her that if you suspect meningitis, in any form, seek medical attention immediately.  I also asked her what symptoms her daughter had?  She told me that she had taken her daughter to the pediatrician, who had sent her to the hospital ER.  When the mom asked the ER physician if her daughter might have meningitis, the doctor said no, that the daughter was just dehydrated.  The mother also told me that the daughter had a headache, stiff neck, and the light bothered her eyes.  As a matter of fact, the girl was curled up in the bathroom on the floor, that was the darkest room in the house.  I told the mother to take her daughter to the ER immediately.  The mother said she didn't want the hospital to think she was a "whacko" mom.  I said just get your daughter to the ER.  This time, the hospital did the tests -- blood work, CT scan, spinal tap.  The daughter did have meningitis.  The mother told me that I saved her daughter's life.  I didn't save her daughter's life, but I gave the mother the reinforcement she needed to take her daughter back to the hospital.  So, moms -- don't doubt your instincts, and don't let others determine your child's health.  This story has a happy outcome -- the girl will be fine.  This is not always the case.