Five infants down with chicken pox at Montco school

Five infants at the Cambridge School at Baldwin in Bryn Mawr have been diagnosed with chicken pox, the Montgomery County Health Department announced Tuesday afternoon.

Harriet Morton, the department's spokeswoman, said the five cases were reported Monday. The report triggered a medical investigation that was ongoing Tuesday, Morton said.

Because of the five cases, 11 other children at the school who were exposed to the sick infants, and had not vaccinated against the childhood illness, will be kept home from school, she said.

The ailment brings symptoms such as fever, an itchy rash, dehydration and headaches.

The Montgomery County Health Department reported no other pockets of chicken pox, although interviews with the families of the sick children were underway to make sure the illness was contained.

"This is the first I know of," Morton said. "We will be on the lookout to monitor it. We are also looking at other students' vaccine history, and any susceptible persons we find will be excluded from school in addition to the 11."

The Cambridge School has 73 pupils and 12 staffers.

It is located at 701 W. Montgomery Ave. in Bryn Mawr.

Contact staff writer Bonnie L. Cook at bcook@phillynews.com