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MENOMONEE FALLS - A 4-year-old kindergarten student at Willow Springs Learning Center has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. As a precaution, about 60 fellow students and teachers have been put on preventative antibiotics. In addition to attending school at Willow Springs, the 4-year-old also attended the YMCA daycare center in the same building. Hamilton School District leaders began contacting all parents at Willow Springs on Thursday night. The Waukesha County Health Department focused in on about 60 students and teachers who were in the closest contact with the infected child. The Health Department advises those people to begin taking preventative antibiotics. The patient's young age is part of the reason for the high number of people on preventative medication. Health Officials worry that 4-year-olds can easily exchange germs by putting toys into their mouths or sharing food. "They might have their fingers in each others mouths, they're more likely to be sharing food items," said Rosie Kapp of the Waukesha County Health Department. The Centers for Disease Control provides this description of bacterial meningitis symptoms: "High fever, headache, and stiff neck are common symptoms of meningitis in anyone over the age of 2 years. These symptoms can develop over several hours, or they may take 1 to 2 days. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, discomfort looking into bright lights, confusion, and sleepiness. In newborns and small infants, the classic symptoms of fever, headache, and neck stiffness may be absent or difficult to detect, and the infant may only appear slow or inactive, or be irritable, have vomiting, or be feeding poorly. As the disease progresses, patients of any age may have seizures." Parents are encouraged to seek medical attention if they believe their child is showing these symptoms.