Boy struck down by meningitis now ready for school (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Boy struck down by meningitis now ready for school

11:09am Wednesday 19th March 2008 in

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AN 11-year-old boy has amazed his family after battling back to health from a rare form of meningitis.

And Jordan Hepple, who doctors had feared may be left brain-damaged and disabled, has been given the go-ahead to attend his first full week of school since before the summer break last year.

Jordan, of Hyndburn Drive, Darwen, was diagnosed with listeria meningitis last August.

He spent two weeks in intensive care and more than two months in the high-dependency unit at Booth Hall Children's Hospital, Manchester, before he was discharged in November.

Since that discharge, Jordan was first able to attend school three mornings a week for an hour, and more recently for five mornings while he completed his recovery.

Doctors had feared that Jordan would be left brain- damaged by the meningitis but he has surprised his parents and grandparents with his recovery.

Jordan's mum, Alison Howarth, 33, of Hyndburn Drive, who lost her husband Paul Hepple to lung cancer three years ago, said: "Jordan had an appointment last week and the doctors said he could go back to school full -time if he was ready.

"He loves school and he just wants to go back.

"When Jordan left school they thought he couldn't cope with sitting his SATS, but he sat his mock exams and he got a level three which is better marks than some other children in his class.

"He gets frustrated sometimes.

"We are so proud of him. He has shocked me how far he has come in such a short space of time.

"The teachers and pupils at school have been absolutely superb and everyone in his class can't do enough for him."

Listeria meningitis occurs mainly in babies, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.

There are very few cases in the UK and the strain has a death rate of about 30 per cent. The St Edward's Primary School pupil has a condition called ulcerative colitism, a disease where inflammation develops in the large intestine and colon.

Doctors gave him immune suppressants to treat the condition which is believed to have triggered the meningitis.