Ephrata Area School District has notified parents that a second-grader at Clay Elementary School may have bacterial meningitis.
The illness, which can be contagious, can cause brain damage, hearing loss or learning disabilities. It also can be fatal.
Parents of the student, whom the district did not name, notified school officials Monday that their child had an unconfirmed case of the illness.
That same day, Ephrata sent a letter home with Clay students to notify their parents of the situation.
The letter, from Clay principal Joy Darkes, said the students were not in danger of contracting the illness.
"It must be stressed that casual contact such as attending class, riding in the same bus or shaking hands does not represent a significant source of exposure to the disease," the letter states.
"The Department of Health has stated that there is no public health risk to the school."
The ill student's diagnosis should be confirmed in two or three days, district spokeswoman Stephanie Gingrich said Tuesday.
Ephrata officials decided to alert parents now rather than wait for confirmation "to make parents aware of the situation and let them know there's no public risk," she said.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord that results from a viral or bacterial infection.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bacterial meningitis may result in brain damage, hearing loss or learning disabilities. In extreme cases, it can cause death.
Common symptoms include high fever, headaches and a stiff neck, according to the state Department of Health.
Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion and sleepiness.
Symptoms can develop as quickly as several hours or take one or two days to develop, according to the health department, which recommends immediate medical attention for children exhibiting symptoms.
Some forms of bacterial meningitis are contagious and can be spread from person to person through coughing, kissing and sneezing, according to the CDC.
However, bacterial meningitis is not as contagious as the common cold or the flu, and bacteria are not spread by casual contact or by breathing the air where a person with meningitis has been.
After learning the student was ill, Ephrata school officials contacted the state Department of Health and the child's physician to inquire what action, such as sanitizing or closing classrooms, the district should take to reduce exposure risks for other students, Gingrich said.
School officials were told that no action is necessary, she said.
Since the start of the year, custodians have stepped up their efforts to sanitize high-usage areas, such as desktops and computer keyboards, at all Ephrata schools to reduce the potential for the spread of viruses and bacteria, Gingrich said.