In looking at hundreds of Massachusetts middle-schoolers, researchers found that more than half were carrying backpacks weighing more than 15 per cent of their body weight. A third of the youngsters with the backpacks say they've already had back pain. A.I. duPont Hospital in Wilmington is in the midst of a 2-year study on the stresses those backpacks create, and how they affect children's health. A sampling of Los Angeles buses showed they churn out 8 times the diesel fumes found in smoggy air. Diesel can contribute to asthma and increase the risk of cancer.
Bus manufacturers say the risk is being over-exaggerated.
The school sent letters home to parents explaining the case, and re-assuring them that the chance of infecting a student is small. Parents are taking the news in stride. It's the 6th known case of meningitis in this area this winter. Health officials say there's no connection between any of them. Nationally, they have been going up in recent years, but experts don't yet know why.